Barriers
by Grimbt
Summary: Set after the Magic World Arc. Can Setsuna come to grips with having feelings for Konoka? Maybe, maybe not. The path to acceptance of love becomes more difficult when Setsuna discovers a new sword, and a new destiny. Action, romance, and intrigue. Note: Konoka/Setsuna, Kotaro/Natsumi, and Negi/Various Girls.
1. Chapter 1

Author: Grimbt

Timeline: After Magic World Arc, before Asuna Kagurazaka leaves.

Chapter 1.

The crisp air of morning settled into a slight breeze that wound its way through the streets and pathways of the City of Mahora. It pushed past the Residential District, where housewives were beginning to tidy up after the morning meal. It danced past the Dormitories, dark except for the Dorm Mother's apartment, where she wearily went over the list of chores to complete that day. The breeze wound around the train station, where students barely waited for the train to stop before jumping out to a sprint. It pushed through the shopping district where bright neon signs mixed with tantalizing smells, exciting sounds, and splashes of color. From the shopping district it swung past the Academy itself, buffeting against its walls of stone and glass, then rising, covering, and moving past, on its restless way to no destination in particular. Along the way the breeze tickled the skin of a certain young female student making her way to class that morning. The chocolate-haired student shivered slightly as the air brushed against her skin. It didn't rouse her out of her thoughts though.

Shaking off the shiver, Konoe Konoka made her way to the school building alone. There were plenty of other students on their way to class, but none of them she had seen had been among those she counted as friends. She recognized a few—perhaps even knew a name or two—but none of them were in her class, 3-A. As she glided down the sidewalk she wondered, somewhat absently, why she hadn't seen any of her friends that morning. Her kid-teacher, and roommate, Negi Springfield had what he called "things to attend to" after the resolution of the collapse of the Magical World just a few weeks prior. Her best friend, Kagurazaka Asuna, would frequently help him with, whatever he was doing. That she understood. _But they could at least bother to tell me when they'd be gone_, she thought_._ She continued to mull it over as she flowed down the busy street towards Mahora Academy on her rollerblades. Before she could get very far, however, a very familiar voice shouting her name snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Konoka-ojousama!"

Behind her, a female student was running to catch up with her, weaving effortlessly between people on the crowded street. Being a student of Shinmeiryuu, the girl had complete mastery over her body, making the task of dodging half-asleep teenagers near second nature. At the sight of the girl with charcoal colored hair pulled back into an unmistakable side-ponytail, excitement bubbled up in Konoka's body.

"Secchan!" Konoka twirled around on her skates to greet the girl. As her body rotated, her chocolate colored hair flew through the air like ribbons of loose silk caught up in a breeze, and she realized that all of the irritation she had felt just moments before had all been washed away by a simple greeting. Except, it wasn't just a simple greeting. Sakurazaki Setsuna was one of the only people in the world that trusted absolutely. Of her friends, it was Setsuna that she had known the longest. They had been childhood friends and, though they had a period of separation, Setsuna had resumed her duty to protect her soon after they both started in class 3-A. For Konoka, it was reassuring to know that there was at least one person she could count on, no matter what. With that spirit of happiness bubbling up in her body, she turned to greet her friend, perhaps a little more flamboyantly than she had intended.

* * *

With only a few paces to go, Setsuna slowed to a halt before her friend, wide eyes wholly absorbed in watching Konoka's movements. Time seemed to slow as she watched Konoka spin on her skates. Strands of chocolate hair curved and danced as each was carried on an individual flow of air. Setsuna wondered if Konoka had meant to make the move so flashy, but flashy or not, her enchantment meant that she momentarily lost track of her surroundings. Suddenly, the moment was cut short when someone bumped into her from behind, breaking her out of her trance.

A shrill voice jabbed through the wash of sound on the street. This one seemed directed for Setsuna herself. "Hey, watch where you're standing! I'm trying to walk here!" The girl whose voice it was hardly took a second glance at Setsuna before rushing on down the street.

After shooting the girl a quick sideways glance that plainly didn't register, Konoka rolled the short distance remaining between the two girls.

"What was her problem? Do you know her?" Konoka asked. Setsuna could feel her ponytail of charcoal hair bobble as she shook her head. She was still staring at the girl's back, fading in the distance.

"No, I've never seen her before. I have no idea." Setsuna turned her head to look at Konoka and was surprised when she saw the other girl pouting.

"That's not very nice Secchan…" Konoka's expression quickly turned from girlish pout to over exaggerated teenage petulance as she wagged her finger playfully at her friend. "I thought I told you not to call me ojousama anymore." Her hand fell back to her side, but the stern look in her eyes didn't change. "It's too formal. It makes me uncomfortable, coming from you."

Hearing those words, Setsuna blushed slightly as she broke eye contact, berating herself for instinctively using the honorific greeting. Even though the two had been friends for years, it was still hard for Setsuna to remember that Konoka didn't like being called princess. Mainly because Setsuna didn't understand why she wouldn't like the title. It was what she was. Just like Setsuna was her protection, first and foremost. _Still, I should do a better job of remembering,_ she thought.

"I'm sorry, ojou—Konoka-chan. It just sort of came out…"

"It's okay Secchan, I forgive you." Konoka gave her friend a wide smile and took hold of her wrist. "Now we better hurry or we're going to be late for class!" Setsuna's blush increased as she allowed herself to be dragged through the quickly dispersing crowd by the girl on rollerblades.

Setsuna didn't have any trouble keeping up, of course, even with Konoka having a mechanical advantage. Between her Shinmeiryuu training and her hanyou heritage, her physical condition could rival even the strongest students in her school, if not some of the characters she had encountered in her recent journey to _Mundus Magicus_. Her contracts with both Negi and Konoka didn't hurt either. Somewhat uniquely, she was the beneficiary of passive energy diffusion from _two_ wizards. Even better, Setsuna might have been able to count the number of mages with more potential than either of hers on two hands, if not just one. To Setsuna one thing was certain, very few humans in either world could match her physically. Still, it was nice to be led once in a while.

As Konoka glided along before her, Setsuna couldn't help but lose herself in the feeling of Konoka's hand on her wrist. It was a warmth of contact she rarely received, and so cherished even more. Even so, Setsuna was embarrassed by almost any form of physical contact in public, it was no surprise her blush remained on her face as the two raced down the street. Despite the embarrassment, Setsuna truly enjoyed the feeling of her friend's hand so close to her own. At least for a while.

_What am I thinking? We're both girls! Yeah, we kissed for the contract, but isn't it indecent? I mean, what would Eishun-sama say? Or old man Konoemon-sama?_ With that thought, she managed to wriggle her hand free from Konoka's grip, feeling a pang of regret when the girl's warmth left her wrist. "Thanks, Konoka, but I can keep up." Konoka only looked at her flatly for a moment, before sighing and refocusing on the street before her. They spent the rest of the commute in relative silence, finally arriving at their classroom with only a few minutes to spare.

As they entered the classroom, Fate Averruncus—their fill-in teacher for Negi, but who didn't appear to be much older than Negi himself—was seated stiffly at Negi's large desk, scrawling something in what looked to be a journal with apparent, extreme concentration. Setsuna diverted her eyes as soon as possible, and gave his desk a wide berth. She still didn't trust Fate, and didn't want to spend any more time close to him than she had to.

Idle chit-chat filled the room as their classmates conversed in their normal groups, with the occasional daydreamer, namely Sasaki Makie. Setsuna quickly noted that once again, Karakuri Chachamaru was nowhere to be found. _Not too surprising_, she thought, _she is probably helping Negi with the project.__ Maybe on the other side? Would he send her back so soon? _Deep in thought, Setsuna automatically set her things down on her desk. Her desk mate, Kugimiya Madoka, was too absorbed in conversation to greet her, which suited Setsuna just fine. She had nothing against the girl, but she hadn't found much in favor either. The charcoal-haired girl was rustling through her bag when she heard her name called.

"Sakurazaki-san, please come to the front of the room." The sentence was made even colder by Fate's icy voice. Setsuna was rarely shaken, but Fate's past incident with the Konoe family jaded her view of him. Enough to be more than caught off guard by the sudden request.

"Yes, sensei," she said in a confident, but hollow manner. It wasn't until she reached the desk that she realized that most of the conversation around the room had evanesced, her classmates watching. As Fate stared at her from behind his desk, she could almost feel every eye trained on her back.

"Sakurazaki-san, you will be moving seats. Kagurazaka-san can no longer make it to class on a consistent basis due to classified reasons. Therefore, in the interest of space, you will be taking her place next to Konoe-san, and when McDowell-san finally arrives to class, she will be taking your seat. Are we clear?"

Setsuna's emotions rollercoastered as she listened to Fate's eerily stony voice. First confusion, then elation, then embarrassment, finally ending in a sort of happy acquiescence.

"Yes, sensei. I will move my things immediately." She bowed to the white-haired youth who had returned to his notes without a second glance, and walked somewhat briskly back to her seat, trying to get ahold of her heart rate. _Is it normal to get so excited about moving to the seat next to your best friend? Why do I feel so happy?_ She tried to figure out just what her emotions were doing as she grabbed her things. When she looked around to her new seat, however, that train of thought was completely derailed by the sight of Konoka beaming at her from behind her desk.

"Isn't this great news, Secchan? Now we get to be next to each other all day long!" Konoka, as usual, burst out in a sort of gleeful shout that had all of their classmates snickering. She herself, of course, was oblivious. Setsuna's pulse jumped, and she felt her blush return to her cheeks in full force as she moved around to her new seat, trying very diligently to look anywhere but at her compatriots.

"Yes, Konoka-chan, it is nice." When she sat down, Konoka scooted her chair closer to Setsuna's and link arms with the charcoal-haired girl.

"I'm happy Secchan." Konoka said with a bright smile.

Setsuna could only blush at Konoka's forwardness. Intentionally avoiding her eyes, she gazed around the room, and noticed several of her classmates giggling at the two of them. Saotome Haruna, and Kazumi Asakura in particular. Luckily, the bell signifying the beginning of class saved Setsuna from her face becoming even more flushed.

Fate stood with his usual stiffness and cast his stern, unwavering gaze over the classroom. "Welcome to another day of class, girls of Mahora class 3-A. Today we will be talking about Recursion in the English language. We will start on page 256 with the third paragraph. Please follow along. 'Recursion occurs when a sentence in which there is a Noun Phrase, or 'NP', contains…'"

Setsuna could barely maintain her focus through Fate's lecture. Her mind drifted to the girl on her left, and in particular, the fact that when she did so, a strange warmth rose inside her, brightening even Fate's cold delivery of very dull subject material. Luckily, Setsuna was not called on to answer a single question, and was in quite a good mood when the bell rang, signifying the end of classes for the day. She set her notebook and pen in her book bag and was about to lift it to her shoulder when Konoka caught her by the hand.

End Chapter 1.

* * *

Author's Note: Readers, this is a reworking of the first chapter of Barriers. My hope was that it would fit better with the rest of the chapters, and give a better indication of the type of story this is. Thanks to everyone who read this, and remember to write me a PM or review if you want. I respond promptly! In the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

"So, Secchan, do you have any plans for the rest of today?" Konoka's big brown eyes looked into Setsuna's dark ones expectantly.

Setsuna broke eye contact as she blushed at having her hand held by her best friend in the middle of the classroom. She shrugged in a non-committal fashion. "Well, I have my guard rounds from 22:30 till midnight, but I don't really have anything planned until then, if you wanted to…you know…do something." She snuck a peek at Konoka's reaction. The younger girl was practically giggling with excitement.

"Yay! With Negi and Asuna not around, I've had no one to spend time with after school, but now I can spend it with you, Secchan! Let's get out of here, Fate-sensei still creeps me out." As Konoka started towards the door, still holding Setsuna's hand, she shot a glare at the back of Fate's head, who was erasing the day's notes from the chalkboard. She closed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at the white-haired substitute teacher. When she opened her eyes, however, she found Fate's blank stare boring into her. There was a weight about him as if he wanted to petrify her. Konoka let out a small "eep" and hurriedly rushed out of the classroom while Setsuna made bowing apologies as she followed her friend.

* * *

As they walked through the hallway that led out of the building, they talked about what they wanted to do. "Do you want to go shopping Secchan? There are a few new stores that opened while we were away in the magical world we could go to." Konoka cocked her head to the side awaiting an answer.

"If you want to ojo—Konoka-chan." It was still hard to stop herself from using the formal honorific. Konoka looked at the swordswoman with somewhat of an annoyed look, which brought a questioning one from Setsuna. The younger girl stopped in front of Setsuna and put her hands on her hips, a playful exasperation on her face.

"I didn't ask what _I_ wanted to do, I asked what _you_ wanted to do."

Setsuna looked at the other girl blankly. "I want to do what you want to do, Kono—."

Before she could finish the sentence Konoka was wagging her finger in Setsuna's face. "None of that. Now what does Sakurazaki Setsuna want to do with an afternoon with her best friend?"

As the charcoal-haired girl considered the question, she felt a small, familiar battle resume inside her. _As her sworn protector my opinion shouldn't matter to Konoka-ojousama. She should decide what we do, and I should just follow and keep her safe. But, she is my friend. My best friend. And don't best friends decide to do things together? Even so, how can I do both? Won't my opinions hurt my ability to protect her?_

She glanced back at Konoka in the middle of her internal struggle and saw her big, puppy-dog eyes that pleaded Setsuna to pick a destination. She rarely got to see those eyes for long, and whenever she could, she relished the time spent lost in their depths. She caved and decided that making Konoka happy was her ultimate goal.

"Well I don't really want to go shopping today. If we could, I would really love to go to the beach and play in the sun, to be honest." Setsuna knew that Konoka loved the beach, and if her master was happy, then she was happy too.

"The beach? That sounds wonderful! Oh, but look Secchan. It's raining outside!" Konoka pouted as she looked at the grey clouds and falling rain out one of the windows in the hallway. "What are we going to do?" The chocolate-haired girl looked back at Setsuna as a kid would look to her mother for guidance. Setsuna enjoyed the other girl's distress maybe a little too much, but only because she knew how sad she was about the situation, and that she herself knew exactly what to do about it.

"I know just the place to go. Follow me!" Setsuna didn't even wait for Konoka's chime of "Okay Secchan!" before taking a risk by grabbing ahold of her hand and then leading her down the hallway, out of the building, and down the street.

After a few minutes of excited silence, mixed with the fact that they were both getting quite wet from the rain because neither one of them had brought an umbrella that day, Konoka began to get anxious. "Where are we going Secchan?"

The older girl simply looked back at the girl she was leading by the hand, and put on a sly smile. She decided to take another risk, one she was pretty sure would go over just fine. "Somewhere warm, Kono-chan," she said as she turned her head back to the road before her. But then, she felt a tug on her arm as the younger girl stopped, and instantly regretted using the—what she considered to be—cute name. She decided she better apologize for her improper manners immediately, so she turned around.

What she saw, however, wasn't indignation, but apparent joy radiating from the younger girl. "Secchan, you said Kono-chan without stammering or anything! I'm so happy!" Konoka flung her arms around a stunned Setsuna, who didn't quite know what to do with herself.

Standing there in the rain with the other girl's arms around her shoulders, their bodies pressed together, Setsuna put her arms around Konoka's waist, her hands in the small of her up in the feeling of the other girl in her arms, she whispered into her ear. "Well, I figured I should call you something as cute as you are." She instantly blushed at what had just come out of her mouth.

_Did I really say that? Isn't that too forward? I mean, it's absolutely true, but can I even say it to her? She's a princess, and I'm just a half-demon servant. Well, I guess it's already been said._ As she was thinking this she felt Konoka pull away from her chest slightly, just enough to look Setsuna in the eyes, who couldn't quite tell if the water running down her face was from the rain or not.

"That's beautiful Secchan. Thank you."

The warmth Setsuna had felt earlier that day returned as she looked into the eyes of the girl she was holding on that empty, rainy street. Slowly, the doubt in her mind faded and was replaced by a sense of belonging and serenity. _She looks so beautiful, even in the rain._

Setsuna noticed the girl before her had started to shiver in just her school uniform, which was, much like her own, completely soaked through by now. "Come on Kono-chan, let's get you warm."

No hesitation or inquiry came from the chocolate-haired girl this time as she was led off the road they were on, to a trail that seemed familiar. "Secchan, isn't this the road to Eva-chan's house?" The older girl only gave her a quick wink before continuing on, still leading her by the hand. Not that Konoka minded. She appreciated the fact that Setsuna was being unusually friendly today. _Secchan must sure be feeling good today. I wonder what happened._ _Was it because we got to sit together today? Maybe Fate-sensei isn't so bad after all, since he let Setsuna sit next to me!_

Before the younger girl realized it, they were in front of Evangeline's log cabin, set back in a forested region of Mahora most people knew nothing about. As an immortal vampire, Evangeline A.K. McDowell didn't appreciate visitors, especially not the excitable, foolish lot she was forced to call "classmates." Of course, she was on decent terms with the two girls stepping onto her porch, although mainly because they were friends of Negi, her disciple in the art of battle arcana.

The two girls approached the solid front door and Setsuna knocked loudly, hoping beyond hope that Evangeline was home, and in a good mood. She wasn't quite sure what she'd do if Eva-chan was not so.

End Chapter 2.

* * *

Author's note: Thank you for reading. Please, do not be worried by the speed (or lack thereof) in this story. I wanted to lay some ground work before launching into the real meat of the story. Feel free to leave a review or a PM. In the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3.

Evangeline was awoken by a knock at her front door and groaned at having to get out of bed to answer it. She tromped down the stairs with sleep still in her eyes, imagining herself freezing whoever was at the door on the spot for disturbing her. _Probably that brat Kotaro. He's always bothering me to use my resort to train. Maybe I'll let him today, just so I can smash him into little pieces._

Evangeline's thoughts turned increasingly morbid, and her hard smile increasingly wider, as she neared the door. _Oh I am going to enjoy his pain toda—._ When she opened the door, it wasn't Kotaro standing there, but the student of Shinmeiryuu and the Konoe girl: the taller one erect but hesitant, with a slight blush covering her cheeks, and the other holding herself against the cold rain, obviously trying to cuddle up to the hanyou. Evangeline was slightly surprised since these two often accompanied her disciple when he came here for training. Still, she didn't like being bothered during a nap, especially when she was dreaming of Nagi.

"What do you two want?" She said in a manner she thought would adequately convey to them that she did not wish to be disturbed.

Setsuna knew how cold the "Dark Evangel" could be—even her magic was ice—but she stood her ground strong because she needed to, for Konoka's sake. "Evangeline-dono, we would request the use of your resort for the afternoon." Setsuna looked Evangeline straight in the eyes, using all of her willpower to try and force the vampire to accept with her gaze.

Evangeline slumped against the doorway, her hand rubbing her forehead. "Jeez, that's all you want? And you woke me up for that? Fine, you may use it, but be warned, I made some adjustments to it the other day to simulate some special scenarios for the boy, and I haven't reversed them. Whatever you get yourselves into, you have to get out of. Now stop bothering me, I'm headed back to bed." With a last, tired look between the two girls she waved them in and rounded for the stairs back to her bedroom.

As she slipped off her shoes to come inside, Konoka watched the seemingly young girl climb the wooden stairs in her 19th century, Western style pajamas. She never really understood Eva-chan, but she didn't really care. Secchan and she were going to be spending the afternoon together.

She wasn't really expecting to go to Eva-chan's resort, so when Setsuna led her to her house, she was a little confused. _It all ended up working out in the end though. I'm so excited!_ Konoka bounced up and down in her wet clothes, creating a small puddle where she was standing on the wooden floor. She quickly pulled off her knee-high socks and stuffed them in her shoes, springing onto the tastefully placed rug along the hallway that stretched from the foyer to the room that held the glass bottles of the resort. She spun around to Setsuna, who was likewise removing her socks, but at a much more deliberate speed.

"Hurry up Secchan! I wanna be waaarm~!" She playfully nagged at the other girl.

As soon as Setsuna had placed her socks in her shoes as Konoka had, the chocolate-haired girl grabbed her arm and pulled her—maybe less than gently—down the hall to the room with the magic glass bottles.

As they arrived in the room, they quickly recognized which bottle held the location they desired. It was fairly obvious, being the one filled with sand and some semblance of ocean water. Setsuna offered her hand to Konoka as they approached the beach-in-miniature, a half-cocked smile playing across her face. Konoka gladly accepted the gesture, and when they were hand-in-hand, Setsuna reached out and touched the face of the glass. Instantly a bright magic circle shone under both of their feet, and slowly, the two girls vanished from the room.

* * *

As she drifted off to a light sleep, something played across Evangeline's consciousness.

A thought perhaps, or a memory—it was hard to tell what image was what as sleep crept up on her.

Maybe it had something to do with her resort? Something about clothes?

She couldn't make the thought any clearer, nor did she particularly want to, as she lost her mind to vivid, conflicting images of Nagi burning to death in a pit, and the same man holding her in his arms forever.

* * *

Setsuna felt the cold wood floor give way to warm, soft sand and she knew that they had successfully made the transfer to the resort. As her eyes adjusted to the light that seemed to come from nowhere, and yet everywhere, she noticed something a little off. In a moment of mortified suspense she gazed down, and saw, much to her horror, her own naked body, completely devoid of clothing. Her blush was not as fervent as one might suppose, as some shame, but also extreme confusion fought in her mind. A small scream broke her out of her momentary trance, and she turned to find a confused Konoka in a similar state of undress, covering herself with her hands as best she could.

"Why are we naked Secchan?!" Setsuna's blush increased until from her eyes down to her neck were bright red. She focused as hard as she could on Konoka's eyes, fearing the punishment from the younger girl if she peeked. She moved her hands to cover her own chest and between her legs. Yeah, they had bathed together at hot springs and the like, but they were always wearing towels, and besides, you were supposed to be naked at the bath, but not at the beach!

"I have no idea ojousama." In her embarrassment, she forgot to speak casually. "That's never happened before." She tried to figure out what they should do next while she reigned in her heart-rate. After some thought, she spoke up. "The way I see it, one of two things happened. One: the glass was rigged to teleport us and not our clothes, so they'd still be in the real world, or two: they were teleported to some other part of the island we're on now." Setsuna paused in her explanation to make sure Konoka was following along. The younger girl nodded once in agreement, so Setsuna went on. "Since we can't leave the resort for 24 hours, I say we look around to see if we can find them somewhere on the island."

Konoka nodded vigorously. "Okay Secchan! But what are we going to do until we find them?" Konoka's face was somewhat concerned, but her voice seemed to have a hint of suggestion in it. At least, Setsuna thought she had heard that, which made her blush recur on her cheeks. She looked around—anywhere but at Konoka—until she found something.

"Well…there's those broad leafed trees over there." She pointed with the hand that was covering her chest at some type of tree—botany was not her strong suit—about 50 paces away from the water, towards the heart of the island. Konoka looked to where she was pointing, and seemed to ponder the stand of trees, at last nodding slightly and saying, "Okay." Setsuna caught the smallest of sighs from Konoka, faint enough that she assumed she had imagined it.

The two girls made it all the way to the small stand of trees at the edge of the jungle before Setsuna realized the leaves were much higher than she thought originally. She frowned, knowing what she had to do to retrieve the elusive leaves. "Stand back ojousama."

Konoka moved back, but frowned herself, "I don't like it when you call me that Secchan…"

For the moment, Setsuna didn't really mind disobeying Konoka's orders about the names._ It's a trivial matter compared to the situation we're in._ Setsuna braced herself as she let her wings escape their fleshy prison. She flexed the muscles in them, extending the soft, snow white feathered appendages to full span. She took a brief moment to close her eyes and enjoy the slight breeze rippling through each feather. "I missed you," she muttered to her feathery protrusions. She wasn't sentimental about much, but her wings were definitely on that list.

Opening her eyes, she felt she had wasted enough time on foolish things and set herself ready. As she moved the wings, she felt her feet rise from the sand. A few flaps and she was at the height of the leaves. Holding herself steady was not hard, and she easily picked four broad leaves from the tree.

Below her, Konoka admired the grace with which her best friend moved about midair. She had never told Setsuna, but she really loved it whenever they flew together. Secretly, Konoka was jealous of her, but she knew she couldn't just sprout wings, so flying with Setsuna was as close as she was going to get. Once her fascination with her friend's wings had subsided, Konoka took the opportunity in front of her. _She's flying, not paying attention to me. Maybe if I just sneak a peek, it won't hurt, right?_

Overall, Setsuna was a prime specimen of the female kind, in Konoka's opinion. Her years of sword training in the Shinmeiryuu arts honed her muscles into what they were now. She was strong, stronger than most mortals, but her body was slender and attractive. Unfortunately, between the motion of her wings and the shadows of the tree leaves, Konoka couldn't make out much detail of the intimate parts of Setsuna's body, but the chocolate-haired youth saw enough to raise her heart rate._ Secchan is so beautiful. I wonder if she knows that. Maybe… Should I tell her?_ She quickly diverted her eyes as Setsuna descended from the top of the tree, turning her lewd gaze into a bashful innocence.

As she touched down on the soft sand, Setsuna let her wings return to their resting place in her back. She turned to look at Konoka. "Well here are the leaves, although, I'm not really sure what to do with them…" Konoka giggled at the lost look on Setsuna's face. That was one thing she never was: creative.

"Give them here, I'll do it." Within minutes, Konoka had fashioned herself a leaf bikini, that while uncomfortable, served its purpose. "Okay, now for yours." Konoka approached her friend with the two leaves she had left. Setsuna's eyes widened, realizing what the other girl would have to do to fashion the makeshift garments for her.

"Oh no, Konoka-chan… I can do it now that I've seen you do it." She tried to snatch the leaves out of Konoka's hands, but the other girl pulled them away before giving Setsuna a playfully stern shake of the head.

"Now now Secchan. Stay still and let ojousama dress you," Konoka teased. Setsuna's mind clamored desperately for an excuse to do it herself, but she could tell that she wasn't going to win against the younger girl. Dropping her gaze to the ground in submission, she nodded.

Konoka immediately set to work. "Okay, arms up Secchan." A deep blush set in as Setsuna reluctantly raised her arms above her head. She didn't really mind Konoka looking at her, in fact she kind of liked it. _But is that okay? I'm supposed to be protecting her, not falling in love with her! I mean, I do love her, but if my feelings come in the way of keeping her safe, haven't I failed as a protector? I can't allow that to happen._

While Setsuna was preoccupied with the moral struggle in her head, Konoka moved behind her. She reached around to her front and placed one of the leaves across Setsuna's breasts. She pressed the giant leaf firm against the other girl's sides and scooted her hands along the green material until her hands met in the back of the charcoal-haired girl's back. She effortlessly tied a knot with the surprisingly pliable leaf, tugging it tight to make sure it stayed. "Legs apart."

Setsuna's mind was racing between tense excitement, and shameful nervousness. _I can't believe ojousama is doing this. It's my fault that we ended up in this mess. I was the one who wanted to come to Evangeline's resort. And now, because of me, ojousama has to touch me in inappropriate ways. I'm so ashamed… And yet, I'm glad it's her. No one has ever been this close to… me before, and I can't imagine anyone else… That is, if I had to choose someone, of course it would be Kono-chan. But, is it okay to be happy about this? What's going on? What do I do? What…?_

"Secchan, you can put your arms down now. See for yourself. It wasn't that bad, was it?" Konoka's voice snapped Setsuna back to the present. She looked down and realized that sure enough, she was now clad in a natural bikini of sorts, identical to the one her friend wore. She touched the material here and there to adjust the fit, but on the whole, it wasn't too bad. _If only figuring my feelings out was this easy_, she thought to herself.

She flashed a simple smile and said, "Um, thanks, Kono-chan. I appreciate it. Now, how about we go find our real clothes, eh?"

Konoka seemed to shake her head as if forcing herself out of a day dream and smiled brightly at the swordswoman. "Okay! I'll lead the way." And she promptly dashed into the jungle, leaving Setsuna to follow her.

Rolling her shoulders, the charcoal-haired girl started after her possible love interest. "If only this thing wasn't so damn itchy…"

End Chapter 3.

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Author's Note: Thank you for reading Chapter 3. I really love writing Evangeline-I might have to figure out how to fit her in more often... I hope you are enjoying the story so far! It got a little risque, but it's just getting started! Please leave a review or PM if you would like, and I will try and respond to all of my mail! In the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4.

After several minutes of venturing into the jungle, Setsuna and Konoka found a small trail cutting perpendicular to the direction they were heading. Setsuna suggested they take it, seeing as directional searching is always better than aimless wandering. Konoka happily agreed and set along the trail spritely. As she followed the younger girl, Setsuna found herself more engrossed in the motion of Konoka's hips in the makeshift green "cloth," than in watching her surroundings. Konoka, while ditsy at times, held the serene grace only the heritage of nobility could offer. It might have just been Setsuna's perception of her skewing her judgment, but she felt that way nonetheless. _Compared to her, I'm nothing more than a blundering servant, not even worthy of mentioning in the same breath, lest it tarnish the beauty of her name._ Abruptly, the charcoal-haired girl caught herself being sentimental and refocused herself on the dense vegetation on either side of the trail. Periodically, however, she would steal a glance at the rhythmic sway of Konoka's hips, finding herself quite attracted to the sight of her friend's lower reaches.

Konoka on the other hand, was sharply on the lookout for their clothes. Not that she necessarily wanted to find them all that much, she enjoyed her vegetative garb, despite its lack of comfort. Plus, Setsuna rarely showed much skin at all. She was one of the few girls in the class that constantly wore spandex shorts under her red-plaid school skirt, being exceedingly embarrassed when anyone even glimpsed her panties. _For such a strong girl, she sure does have a lot of reservations. Could it be that she doesn't know she's attractive? Or is it just her Shinmeiryuu training? Do they teach their students to refuse all physical self-confidence? That's so mean! Maybe I can try to break some of those barriers down._ The chocolate-haired girl considered how she might go about doing that until the two came upon a section of the trail where the vegetation had started to cover up the small footpath. The shrubbery was too dense to walk through comfortably, especially with so few clothes on. Konoka looked to her protector somewhat worriedly, hoping she would have an answer.

Setsuna sighed heavily, regretting that she had not brought Yunagi with her. Grudgingly, she found a sturdy branch on a nearby tree and broke it off. Swords were preferable for Shinmeiryuu techniques because the sharp edge allowed a trained swordsman to focus his Ki with little effort. Blunt objects, especially dead ones, required a much greater focus, and were much less efficient, with most of the Ki simply going to control the projectile attack from the object.

"Stand back, Kono-chan." Setsuna squared up with the shrubbery in front of her and raised the branch as she would her sword. She focused her spiritual energy on the branch, making it as an extension of her arm; the shrubbery a demon to be slain.

"ZANGANKEN!" she shouted as she swung the branch down hard. A bright crescent of energy sliced its way through the vegetation, and the branch splintered into pieces, leaving only a smoking stub in Setsuna's hand. Setsuna eyed the wide trail cleared by her attack. _Perhaps I overdid it a little. Oh well, it's not like there are any animals here to hurt._

She was brought out of her musings by the other girl, "Secchan, look! A waterfall!" Setsuna looked beyond the trail and saw that it indeed led to a spring fed by a waterfall. The water looked pristine and inviting. "Let's go Secchan!" Konoka hurried down the trail in the direction of the spring, with Setsuna close in tow. They made their way quickly to the edge of the water.

The spring appeared to be hewn of out the surround rock, with an occasional boulder here or there. It didn't seem quite natural in the jungle they were in, but Setsuna chalked it up to it being a magical machination of Evangeline. _If she could create an island in a bottle where a day is an hour, then why not have a pool carved into the stone fed by a waterfall?_

As Setsuna was marveling at Evangeline's creativity, Konoka cautiously approached the water and stuck her foot in. She found it pleasantly cool, but not too cold. Overall refreshing compared to the maybe 28°C of the air. She slipped herself in the water, about waist high, and splashed a little at Setsuna, getting her legs wet. "C'mon Secchan, it feels wonderful!"

Setsuna jumped at the cool water hitting her legs and raised an eyebrow at Konoka. "Oh, so you want to splash? I see how it is. Well watch out!" Setsuna dove into the water next to the other girl, and splashed the top of the water until Konoka was completely drenched.

Konoka gasped in surprise, "That's not very nice Secchan." Her authoritative sound was lost through a giggle, as she repaid Setsuna with a big splash of water to the face.

The two played around in the water for a few minutes, then Konoka, for seemingly no reason, wandered off abruptly to another part of the natural pool. Setsuna only watched her move about in the water. _She's so innocent and childish. I've always liked that about her. She's not tarnished by the evil of this world. If only I could stay this way with her forever. Then I'd be happy. Truly happy._

"Secchan, come here!" Konoka was beckoning to her from the other side of the spring, not too far from the waterfall. Setsuna made her way through the water to the waiting girl. In her opinion, nothing was harder than moving through water—maybe it was because she was a hanyou of the raven-tribe. Ravens, even raven demons, didn't like water. She felt as if each step she took used half again as much energy as normal. She didn't think she could fight very well, even in only waist deep water, if she had to. All of her movements were lethargic, and draining. Luckily, nothing was coming for them at the minute.

She eventually made it to Konoka who was now pointing with her open palm at something beneath the water. It appeared to be a curved stone that looked oddly like a chair, its seat under the water line and the back jutting out into the air. "Sit there." Konoka, still pointing, had something in between a grin and smirk on her face. Setsuna eyed her warily, but decided that following Konoka's orders would be the best thing to do. She carefully seated herself, wary of a hard landing, even if it was in water. Her bottom found the stone and she leaned back to rest against the reclined portion of the rock, finding it to be rather comfortable._ Evangeline sure thought of everything_, she thought with a small chuckle.

"Now spread your legs, Secchan."

Setsuna's eyes snapped to the other girl, confusion and embarrassment heavy on her face. "Wh—what? Why?" She leaned up in a slightly guarded manner, her hands waving a small x in front of her. In her head she lamented. _What's ojousama going to do?! I'm too young for this, we both are. What's going on!_

Konoka only giggled at the charcoal-haired girl's reaction. "I only want to sit there dummy. Stop making such a big fuss." Clarity, and some relief crossed Setsuna's face. She still didn't lean back though.

"Even so, do you think that's okay? We're not even clothed properly… Kono-chan."

Konoka giggled some more. "Silly, who's here to see us? The trees? The rocks? No one is here but us."

Setsuna considered that fact silently for a moment. _I guess she's right. There isn't anyone to see us acting indecently, and if it's Kono-chan I don't really mind. It might actually be kind of nice._ Accepting that she really did want it too, she coyishly reclined and apprehensively cleared a space for her friend on the rock.

Konoka smiled deeply, her big, brown eyes sparkling from the light reflected off the water. Even with her long, wet hair plastered to her back Setsuna thought she was beautiful. The pinnacle of childlike innocence and youthful radiance. With a graceful, concerted motion she bent down and placed her small body in front of Setsuna, then leaned back so her shoulder nestled between Setsuna's breasts, her head snuggled up to the girl's neck.

"Isn't this nice Secchan?" She cooed in her ear. "We never have much time to just sit together." Setsuna had to admit that it was nice, feeling the girl's warm body against hers. She instinctively wrapped her hands around Konoka's waist to hold her close.

The older girl felt a little odd: a mix of anxious happiness and overwhelming attachment to the girl in her arms. Her heart was beating faster than normal. _This feeling… Could I even know what romantic love is? I'm half demon after all. But, I'm not sure what I'd do if I ever lost Konoka. Is that all there is to love? _Shaking her head slightly to dash the esoteric contemplations from her mind, she focused on her emotions. _Maybe I do love Konoka, and more than just as a friend, or master. This girl, _she thought as she cocked her head a bit to look at the girl now lightly dozing against her body, _this wonderful, beautiful girl means everything to me. When she smiles, all of my fears and doubts disappear. _Indeed, she often found herself working to make Konoka smile, savoring the moments when she did. _She makes me happy, and isn't that all that matters? Well, if I do love her, then I have to confess to her. That would be the proper thing to do. _From somewhere deep in her subconscious, a sudden doubt leapt upon her. _But what if she rejects my… love._ She shook her head, more vigorously this time. _No, ojousama wouldn't do that to me, would she? But, if she doesn't love me back…_

Setsuna gazed down on her love with just a slight blush—this one caused by affection rather than embarrassment—and sighed shallowly. She decided she would never get the answer by just thinking it through, she would have to actually do it—confess her love to Konoka. Removing her hand from around the slight girl's waist, she stifled a yawn that seemed to come from nowhere. _I can confess later._ She closed her eyes and set her head against that of the younger girl. Quickly her breathing slowed as she drifted off to a contented sleep there in the shallow water in Evangeline's resort. For a time at least, all was well in the world for Sakurazaki Setsuna.

End Chapter 4.

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Author's Note: Thanks for reading this chapter! I hope you're having as much fun reading as I am writing! The couple is so cute! This is one of the real reasons I wanted to write this story. Please leave a review or a PM if you want, I'm having fun reading them!

Recently, this chapter has been pulling in the most views of any chapter! Just thought you guys might want to know that. It seems to be a favorite among the readers. If you have a different chapter you like the most, I'd love to know which one it is! Now, in the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5.

Setsuna woke to a trembling in the rock she and Konoka were sitting on. The shaking started off small, but its vigor increased with every passing second. She instinctually tightened her grip around Konoka's body.

"What's going on Secchan? An earthquake?" The slightly smaller girl was awake and appeared very frightened. She clung to Setsuna's waist, little shrieks of confusion disrupting the otherwise silent air.

_First I have to get Kono-chan to safety, then I can figure out what's going on._ Setsuna figured that sitting at the base of a waterfall that was rolling off a sheer rock cliff was a bad place to be during an earthquake. She hurriedly looked for a better place to wait out the tremors and found nothing but already shaky looking trees surrounding the pool. _Damn it. Well then I guess this is the only option._ Her white wings shot out of her back as she stood, only slightly off balance from the rocking of the earth beneath her. She swept a nearly hysterical Konoka into her arms and soared into the air as quick as her wings would carry them. When they were safely above the tree line, and by Setsuna's estimation out of any real danger, she turned around midair to survey the area they had just left.

As far as she could tell, the earth around the little waterfall was still trembling, and the pool itself was rippling vigorously, but as she looked further into the island there was nothing to indicate there was anything out of the ordinary. _That's odd… An earthquake that only affects a half kilometer of ground? Is this something Evangeline set up? _Her gaze snapped back to the water when she heard loud, but muffled cracking noises.

"Secchan, the pool!" Both girls watched as something moved under the water. The massive object, nearly three quarters the size of the pool, was indistinguishable from the rocks forming the lip of the pool. As it broke the surface of the water, Setsuna realized why.

What rose of out the water reminded Setsuna of a lake monster, standing nearly 10 meters high. What was once the floor of the pool became the monster's back. The golem, built of pure rock, stood on legs of carved pillars of stone with strange runes carved into them. The rest of the body was solid and blocky. A face, ugly by any standards, seemed to be stamped onto the front of the rock, slightly skewed to the side. It had six thick black vines hanging from its rocky chest, presumably the ones previously keeping the monstrosity tethered to the inanimate rock below it. Curiously enough, each one had, as far as Setsuna could see, a three pronged claw at the end. Overall, it was without a doubt an ugly, deformed creation.

While the golem hadn't appeared to have seen the pair of them yet, it was sniffing the air, creating weird, hollow whistling noises. Due to her Raven Clan heritage, Setsuna's sharp eyes caught the direction the golem was looking despite the distance between them, and dove into a tree in the opposite direction, hoping to avoid the two of them being seen. She carefully landed on a strong looking branch and placed Konoka next to her.

Konoka pulled on the girl's wing to get her attention. "What is that thing Secchan? Why is it here?" Setsuna winced at the tug, then forced down the irrational happiness of her friend touching her wings and focused her eyes once again on the golem. She put a finger to her lips to silence Konoka.

"We have no idea how good its hearing is, so it would be best to stay quiet," she whispered.

The golem scanned the immediate area before turning slightly and lumbering to the waterfall. It stood beneath the falling stream of water and reached up to the rock wall. It began to climb the small cliff more deftly than Setsuna had imagined possible, using the clawed vines as grapples to dig into the stone wall. Each time a claw broke into the rock, a loud cracking sound echoed across the water, forcing both girls to cover their ears from the noise. When the golem reached the lip of the cliff, it pulled its massive body slowly but easily onto the ground above. From there, it started lumbering away from them, further into the heart of the island.

When the golem was safely out of eyesight beyond the cliff's ridge, Setsuna let out a sigh that was echoed by the chocolate-haired girl. "That was close. To imagine a creature like that being that graceful… There is strong magic at work here…"

Konoka eyed Setsuna. She looked troubled, something between a scowl and a contemplative frown marring her face. Konoka did not often have to comfort Setsuna, but she saw that the other girl was in need of some now. She moved close to her protector and put her arm around the girl's body, right beneath her wings.

"It's okay, he didn't see us, so it's fine. We'll just be extra careful from now on." Konoka felt the other girl move her hand to cover her own, adding a little pat in appreciation of the gesture.

"Yes, we will. That was too close," Setsuna turned her head to look at her friend, "Too close to risking your life, ojousama."

Konoka looked a bit surprised, a hint of a red suffusing her cheeks. She looked into Setsuna's eyes with a look of slight pain. "Yours too."

Setsuna felt her face flush more profusely than Konoka's did when she realized that she had been genuinely worried for her safety. She gave a weak response of "Yes, mine too."

Reluctantly breaking eye contact with Konoka, Setsuna turned to scan the area. There was no sign of movement save the leaves fluttering in the half breeze. Once she deemed the cliff secure, she redirected her attention to the pool. She had expected the water to have filled the small crater left by the golem, but was surprised when she could not see that any water had actually accumulated. Curious, she picked Konoka up, cradled in her arms, and swooped down to the lip of what had been the pool. She went to set the girl down, but Konoka wrapped her arms around Setsuna's neck, giving a slight shake of her head. Setsuna nodded and continued to hold the still frightened girl, smiling on the inside at getting to hold her.

She peered down into the sizable pit left by the golem and found it not to be a pit at all, but a hole, smaller than the diameter of the pool, but large enough for three or four people wide to fit in. Water from the waterfall was streaming into the hole, becoming forever lost down the dark abyss. The most striking feature, however, was the lack of light around the pit. It was as if there was something sucking up every ray of light that fell on the spot. Evangeline's resort was usually permeated with light, seemingly coming from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. This spot was different though. Setsuna couldn't feel any spiritual or magical presence, but felt a tingling at her subconscious that something dangerous and very evil lurked at the bottom of that pit.

_Konoka can't be exposed to something this… evil. I must get her away from here. Someplace safe. _She hurriedly pulled Konoka away from the pit, wanting to be anywhere but there, only to find that she couldn't move her feet. Slight terror rang through her battle-tested mind as she warily looked down past the girl in her arms. Unbeknownst to her, the shadowy absence that was emanating from the pit had curved itself to the point of completely encompassing the rock beneath her feet, shrouding it in blackness. Her eyes widened as she watched the shadows engulf her feet. It was too late to scream as she felt herself being pulled, along with the girl in her arms, down the pit, into darkness.

End Chapter 5.

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Author's Note: Thanks for reading Chapter 5! This is getting good. It has been a little too fluffy for my taste, so let's get to the real fun stuff. Don't worry, there will still be plenty of romance and intrigue! Please feel free to leave a review or PM for me. In the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6.

As her body was swallowed up by the shadow, Setsuna's vision disappeared. It was as if someone had turned out the sun. She felt an immediate cold against her skin. Not the cold of cool water, it was more oppressive than that. She was suddenly filled with loneliness and despair. It was as if icy black fingers were digging into her brain, freezing away all happiness. She couldn't see Konoka, but she could feel her cradled there in her arms. She felt odd though. Her skin was cold and slightly slippery, like the girl was having chilled sweats.

_I need to calm down and figure out what's going on. Maybe I should see if she is okay._ The winged swordswoman opened her mouth to call out to Konoka, but realized only then that she couldn't make any sound. Try as she might, nothing came out of her mouth. She tried moving but not a muscle twitched. Her horror intensified, magnified by the shadowy fingers on her mind. _This is not good! And it's my fault. How could I have been this careless? Now Konoka is in danger. She could die! And it's my fault! And I can't do anything to save her. What if we're falling down this pit and we hit the bottom. Then her death would be because of me. My fault. How could I let this happen…? All my fault!_

A sudden bump shook Setsuna back to reality. She could see again, although there was only diffuse light in…wherever they were. Setsuna took quick stock of the surrounding area. The girls had landed in an underground chamber of sorts, large and cavernous. The omnipresent light of the resort was dimmed, as if it was passed through a black filter before emanating. The weak light illuminated a floor of slick, shiny black stone. She quickly scanned her surroundings for openings in the darkness, but found none except for a pinpoint of light above her head—probably the hole they were pulled in from. Judging by how small it appeared now, Setsuna figured they might be as far down as a hundred meters.

After deciding the immediate danger had gone, she checked on Konoka. "Are you okay, Kono-chan? Not hurt are you? I'm sorry about this, I was careless and got us into this…"

The slightly smaller girl had pushed herself from where she had landed on the ground and was absently wiping grime from her legs and bottom. She gave Setsuna a half-hearted smile. "It's okay, I'm not hurt."

On the inside though, Konoka felt empty and cold. Whatever that shadow was, it had the terribly awesome power to suck the life out of you. She decided that that was the most absolutely terrifying experience she had ever suffered through. _I'm not sure I would have made it through that if Secchan wasn't right there too._ She huddled close to Setsuna, not for warmth, but comfort.

"Secchan, I'm scared… When we were pulled down the hole, everything went black for me. I felt so cold. And there was doubt. Doubt that we weren't going to be safe. Doubt that we couldn't escape wherever we ended up. Doubt that you might not love me…" She could feel tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at her friend. "And fear that I would lose you." Konoka shut her eyes and slumped to the ground crying, her emotions finally getting the best of her.

Setsuna took in all of what she was saying; different emotions battling for priority. First she wanted to comfort the girl, then empathize that she had felt the same sensations too. When Konoka mentioned loving her, however, Setsuna was caught a bit off guard. Was she really worried about the two of them? Setsuna had never been very honest with herself about her own feelings, even concerning Konoka. She loved her princess, but how? As her master, yes. But also as a friend, and something even more than that—whether she was allowed to by her heritage and purpose or not. At times, however, all three feelings of love battled against her oath of service. She was sworn to protect her ojousama, with her life if necessary. Nothing could trump that, even love. If they were together and she was killed trying to protect Konoka, what would that do to her? How could she move on? Setsuna struggled momentarily for a response. _No. It's better to leave things this way. It's for her protection. But, I can't explain that to her, she wouldn't understand._ Still struggling over the best course of action, Setsuna bent down, put an arm around the girl and pulled her close.

"Those feelings are gone now. It was just the shadows. It's over now, I'm here to protect you. Come on, let's search for a way out of here." She offered her hand to the girl. Konoka took it and stood weakly, evidence of tears still present on her cheeks. Setsuna reached out a hand and wiped the tears off her face, which produced a small smile from the chocolate-haired girl. It pained Setsuna unbearably to watch Konoka cry, especially because of her, but she would do what she must to keep safe the girl that she loved.

Setsuna refocused on the surrounding area. Now that her eyes had adjusted to the low light, she could see that while the cavern they were in was expansive, it was not endless. She thought she could pick out a gap in one of the walls that might signal a way out. It was far across the cavern floor, so she didn't want to waste time walking there. Luckily, her wings were still at the ready. She scooped Konoka up again and flew over to the gap in the rock. As the two approached, it indeed appeared to be an exit—or at least a tunnel that might lead out of the cavern.

The charcoal-haired girl touched down as they reached the mouth of the tunnel, setting Konoka down on her feet. She peeked into the tunnel, which was even more dimly lit than the cavern, and tried to figure out if they should risk taking it. The tunnel had an equal chance of leading them out as not, but Setsuna failed to see any other way out. She decided to risk it—she sure didn't want to try going back out the way they came. An entire year spent walking was worth avoiding that hell. Stowing her wings, Setsuna put on her best look of confidence to soothe Konoka. "This should lead us back to the surface. Let's go." Setsuna grabbed hold of Konoka's hand and they started along the tunnel path.

After walking several minutes in silence, Konoka brought up some idle chatter, mostly about the other girls in their class. Apparently Hasegawa Chisame had been more present and vocal than usual, dogging Konoka almost daily about the whereabouts of Negi. If Konoka had to wager, Chisame-san had a crush on him, something Chisame was loathe to admit.

She also brought up the book duo, Miyazaki Nodoka and Ayase Yue, who had been acting unusually despondent since their return from Mundus Magicus, especially when they were in class. It was like they were each missing something, and extremely distracted because of it. Konoka had even seen them arguing the other day—something those two never did. According to the normally bubbly girl, it probably had to do with Negi, but she wasn't sure. She did point out how ridiculous the two sounded arguing, Nodoka with her high, soft voice, and Yue with her unusually low, scratchy one.

"It actually seemed like more of a debate than an argument," said Konoka. Setsuna couldn't help but chuckle at that, imagining the two of them sitting at a broad desk laden with books, trading argument points about which one liked Negi more—although with their personalities, Setsuna wouldn't be surprised if they were arguing over why the _other_ girl should have him.

Konoka brought up the other girls acting odd inside and outside of class, all of whose problems seemed to revolve around Negi's absence, or in the case of Yukihiro Ayaka, both his and Asuna's absences. She let go of Setsuna's hand so she could talk with her own, making expressions and gestures to dramatize their various classmates. She also complained about Fate being their substitute teacher. He creeped everyone out, even the girls who didn't fight him in Mundus Magicus. Why did it have to be him teaching, not Takamichi, or someone else?

"He's just so weird! I always feel my skin crawl when he looks at me." Konoka held herself, rubbing her arms as if fighting off immense cold, despite it being usually warm in the tunnel. Setsuna took the opportunity to speak up.

"He isn't all that bad."

Konoka's brows bunched in confusion. She cocked her head at the other girl's comment. "Why is that, Secchan?"

Setsuna simply shrugged and tossed her head around, making her side pony-tail shake. "Well, he let us sit together in class right? So he can't be all that bad."

That earned a slight nod from Konoka. Enough to signal she agreed, to an extent, though she crossed her arms over her breasts and scowled. "I still don't like him."

Setsuna laughed quietly to herself. _Kono-chan can be so cute when she's angry._ She did not, however, want to spend all their time talking about Fate Averruncus, so she brought up the robot girl Chachamaru, who had been spending a lot of time with Negi recently. For a time the two girls debated whether or not the robot had feelings for Negi—apparently she had formed a pactio with the boy-teacher during the time they were in Mundus Magicus, but neither of them were around to see it. Once they agreed that she definitely did love Negi—maybe more than most of the other girls on his tail—the conversation shifted to yet more girls in the class.

The small talk lasted until something stopped Setsuna in her tracks. Konoka, who had been so engrossed in her drawling on about Murakami Natsumi and Inugami Kotaro that she walked five paces longer than Setsuna, cut her speech short and returned silently and quickly to Setsuna's side. A worried look appeared on her face. "What's wrong Secchan?"

Setsuna couldn't answer though, because she didn't quite know what was wrong herself. They had been walking for about half an hour along the tunnel that didn't seem to change much. The same slick stone paved the floor, and the walls were as dark and rocky as they were when they had left the cavern. No, it was something else. On a hunch, Setsuna turned around and looked back the way they had come. As expected, the opening to the cavern was hard to see, but she could just make it out. What she didn't expect was where in her vision she found it.

_That can't be right… We're going _down_?!_ Height was hard to judge with the compounding facts that there was little light and no skyline to make a horizon. Nonetheless, Setsuna was now sure the path had been sloping down since they had started along it. It was a gradual slope, otherwise she would have sensed it before, but the cumulative effect still put them at least an additional 15 meters below ground.

_Well now what? We can't go back. This was the only way out of the cavern—and I am not risking going back up through the hole. But if we keep going… Where does this go exactly? Well, I guess we have no choice._ She forced a small smile onto her face and turned back to Konoka. "Nothing's wrong. Just thinking. We must not be far from the exit now." She offered the girl her hand to hold, hoping she wouldn't see through the lie. "Let's keep going, shall we Kono-chan?"

Much to Setsuna's relief, Konoka either bought the lie, or was so excited to hold her hand she forgot about it. She slipped her small hand into Setsuna's and laced their fingers together, adding a little squeeze for effect. Setsuna took a moment to enjoy the warmth of Konoka's soft skin on hers before adding a squeeze of her own. Then it was time to hit the trail again.

It wasn't long that the couple walked in silence before Konoka spoke up, a hint of worry in her voice. "Secchan, why did you stop? And don't lie to me this time."

Setsuna very nearly broke stride in shock. _So she did see through it. Well it was pretty obvious… But Konoka is sharper than she looks often._ She glanced quickly at the chocolate-haired girl who was giving her a stern, yet pleading look. Konoka was the only person Setsuna knew who could make puppy-dog eyes and still glare through them, all while remaining innocently cute. _There's no way I can escape this. I'll just have to be honest with her._ Setsuna took a deep breath, and let out a long sigh.

"I was checking the level of where the tunnel started compared with where we were just then. I realized we're headed _down_. This path seems to be descending, very slowly, but descending still. And I was trying to figure out what to do. I decided it was no use going back, and that we had to go forward."

After finishing her explanation, she shot another glance at the girl walking beside her, who simply nodded. "That makes sense. But Secchan, why is it lighter now than it was before?"

Setsuna furrowed her brow at the question. _It couldn't have gotten lighter, could it?_ She looked down at her body and noticed she was able to see more definition in her skin than she had been able to before. She looked to the walls, which she could now tell were made up of a dark, bumpy stone, coarser than those lining their walkway. It had gotten lighter, but so gradually that she hadn't even noticed. _But what does that mean? In the resort, the light doesn't come from a single source, but there are still shadows. Tunnels should still be dark. What's going on?_

Setsuna looked further ahead along the path and found an area maybe ten meters ahead of them that looked different. After more than half an hour of nothing but the same rock on all sides, relief and excitement overcame Setsuna, who practically jumped to a run towards the anomaly.

Konoka was on her heels the whole way, surprised, but not bothered by Setsuna's impulsive behavior. _It's a little too headstrong, but if Secchan found something, then we might just be out of this nightmare._

When the girls reached the spot Setsuna had eyed, they both cocked their heads in confusion at the sight. The tunnel sloped down sharply and the floor of slick black stone gave way to an even more polished surface—maybe made of metal, or some other smooth surface. Right in the middle was dug a channel about the diameter of the width of a human body. Konoka looked at Setsuna in disbelief.

"A slide? What's a slide doing in a tunnel this far underground?"

Setsuna could only shake her head. She was wondering the exact same thing. As she peered down the slide's shaft, however, she could see light emanating from somewhere deep below. It seemed a bend in the tunnel was blocking their view of the exit, but it did appear as though this slide led to a way out—however that might be. Konoka spoke up, a bit too excited sounding in Setsuna's opinion. "So should we try it?!"

Konoka was always one for fun, but Setsuna wasn't so sure. She didn't like to jump into anything, especially when it involved Konoka's safety, and _especially_ when she didn't have her sword with her. _But I don't really see any other option. We're pretty much committed at this point._ She slowly nodded to the other girl. "I think so. It's our only option, so we might as well take it. You sit down on the edge first and I'll sit behind you. That way we can go down together."

Konoka positioned herself at the lip of the descent, and Setsuna sat down, stretching her legs out on either side of Konoka. "Hold me Secchan, so we don't get separated." Setsuna didn't need coaxing this time, and wrapped her arms around the smaller girl's waist, linking her wrists tightly to make sure she didn't go anywhere.

"You ready Secchan?"

Setsuna's only reply was a quick "yes," followed by a small kiss on the back of the head for luck. With a jerk, Konoka launched them off the lip of the tunnel floor and sent them flying. Down the slide, down to the bend, and down to the light, the both of them screaming all the way.

* * *

A figure emerged from the shadows of the tunnel wall, black cloak billowing despite the still air. Ribbons of black streamed from the cloak, souring the air they touched. As the figure peered down the shaft that the girls had just descended, a rasping laugh like the sound of dead leaves crinkling came from within the hood. The space the figure occupied blackened slowly as the presence faded. A pitch black shadow crawled down the shaft, leaving nothing but darkness.

End Chapter 6.

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Author's Note: Thank you for reading Chapter 6! This one was slightly longer than the other ones, but please forgive the delay. I hope you all are enjoying the story so far. Please leave a review, or PM me if you are enjoying it. In the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7.

Konoka and Setsuna were racing down the slide that was carved into the tunnel, wind streaming through their hair, going fast enough that Setsuna sure hoped there was a soft landing at the bottom. She had expected the slide to hurt, what with their mostly bare skin sliding against it, but it didn't. She still couldn't figure out what it was made of exactly, but it allowed them to slide with very little difficulty and relatively painlessly. After the initial descent, Konoka had stopped her screaming. She was laughing a little now, seemingly enjoying the impromptu thrill ride. Setsuna had to admit that she was having a little fun herself—it was sort of like a huge water slide, but without the water. Her fun was cut short by her stark realism. _Should I be enjoying something this dangerous?_

She moved her head out from behind Konoka's to look down to see where they were headed. They were moving quickly, and the gradual right turn was rapidly approaching. She stiffened her legs against Konoka's sides and re-adjusted her hands to grab Konoka's shoulders, with her arms under the girl's armpits, bracing the two of them for the bank. She leaned both of them to the right as they entered the turn, hoping that was enough to keep them from flying out of the channel. Their forward momentum caused their bodies to ride up onto the side of the channel, but they weren't anywhere near flying out. Relieved that they weren't going to end up as bags of meat plastered on the tunnel walls, Setsuna focused ahead on what was hopefully the way out.

She didn't have to wait long, for as they rounded the corner, bright light shone from a large opening. The sharp, immediate contrast in brightness nearly blinded Setsuna—as good as her vision was thanks to her Raven Clan heritage, one thing she struggled with was rapid changes in light levels. They were upon the opening before Setsuna could see what was on the other side, but a "Woah!" from Konoka gave her some clue that something was out there.

They plunged into the light and immediately Setsuna felt the blood rush to her head, like she was suddenly inverted. Moments after leaving the tunnel, her eyes adjusted, but everything was wrong. She was still sliding with Konoka down the channel, but everything else was upside down. The ground stretched out meters above her head, and the sky formed a bright pool underneath, with trees jutting down into it. Frantically, she stuck her head past Konoka's shoulder, who had begun to scream again—although Setsuna couldn't tell if from terror or ecstasy. The scene before her confused her before she recognized the shape of the rest of the channel. It was shaped like a corkscrew, turning one and a half turns to right the channel's orientation before gently sloping down to the jungle floor. It reminded Setsuna very much like one of those roller coaster rides at the Mahora Festival—something that made her a little queasy. She could deal with the stress of endless hours of battle, but one amusement ride upset her stomach to near upheaval.

Suddenly they were in the corkscrew, gliding along quickly. The world seemed to right itself, and Setsuna felt the blood return to the rest of her body. Gaining the majority of her senses back, she realized in slight shock that Konoka had her arms raised above her head, screaming with wild abandon. _Apparently, she likes roller coasters…_ Setsuna rolled her eyes and chuckled to herself, feeling slightly better as they came out of the corkscrew. Although she began to enjoy herself, she was not unhappy when the channel approached the ground. Somehow the pair was slowing down, though not by anything they did. Konoka let out one final _wooing_ sigh before lowering her hands. They came to a stop right at the bottom of the channel where there was a small lip and a step down to the soft grass. Setsuna started to relax her legs, noting their stiffness from gripping onto Konoka so tightly the entire way down. Reluctantly, she let go of the girl's waist; a small pang of longing shot through her as the physical contact broke.

The small girl stood and bounced down the step, throwing her leaf-bikini clad body onto the small lawn of grass that stretched around the end of the slide, giggling her head off. Setsuna slowly followed, finding her joints unusually stiff. _Was I really that tense that whole time?_ With a quick cursory scan to ensure nothing was going to sneak up on them, she knelt down and sat next to the chocolate-haired girl. Konoka looked up at her, still giggling a little, a big smile centered on her face. "That was fun Secchan! We should do that kind of thing more often!"

Setsuna gave her a somewhat mortified look, remembering all too well the effect it had on her stomach. She raised her hands slightly in a stopping manner, "I sorry, I think I'm going to have to pass."

Konoka threw her head back in laughter at the girl's response. She knew full well that the charcoal-haired youth had a bad stomach when it came to fast rides, but liked teasing her. As her laughter subsided, she stared up at the sky. Small, perfect clouds moved through the artificial air. They had only been in the cave for about two hours, but that was long enough to miss the sky—the sight of the clouds, the scent of the air. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply, shuddering at the end, remembering the frightful moments of the last couple of hours. It was an experience she never wanted to repeat, but she had known that she was going to get through it safely as long as Setsuna was there. She trusted the swordswoman completely, implicitly. How could she not? Setsuna had been given orders to protect her. Orders she would never abandon. If everything else in the world was transient, her protector's vows stood solid and strong: a wall against the storm, and a light amidst the darkness. She wasn't given to poetry often, but Setsuna's dedication inspired her. That was one thing she never had to question, and _that_ gave her great comfort. With her eyes still shut, she moved her hand to her left, searching her Setsuna's hand.

Setsuna was lost in thought, eyes moving from the end of the slide, to the tunnel entrance and back. Her thoughts were much less artistic than Konoka's. Something didn't make sense. In the cavern, she had looked up and seen what she thought was the hole they came in through. That would make the cavern right-side up, and that made sense. Then in the tunnel they went down. That should have put them further underground, and that made sense. The slide also went down—which made sense too—but they ended up back outside, upside down. That last was the part that didn't make sense. She was thoroughly confused, and trying to wrack her brain for a solution to the gravity problem, when she felt something brush against her leg. She looked down and found Konoka's hand rubbing the top of her thigh, searching for something. Setsuna stole a glance at the girl's face and found that her eyes were closed. She moved her hand to cover Konoka's still roaming hand, quieting its motion. Setsuna felt the younger girl's hand invert and lace her fingers through her own. She felt a blush come over her face as Konoka's thumb started rubbing over the side of her hand in slow circles. The girl spoke softly, "Thank you Setsuna."

"What is there to thank me for Kono-chan?" Setsuna was still blushing, regardless of the fact that they were the only ones in the resort, and despite Konoka having her eyes closed. _I really need to gain control over my blushing…_

"For protecting me. For always being here. I don't know how I would have made it out of that cave if you weren't there." She opened her eyes to look at Setsuna. "So thank you, my knight."

Konoka smiled at her and raised herself up on one arm. She moved her face close to Setsuna's and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Setsuna's blush—which she had brought under control momentarily—returned in full force as she felt her friend's lips on her own. Her warmth flowed through Setsuna, her taste tantalizing her senses. When the chocolate-haired girl pulled away, Setsuna felt a pang of regret that the moment had not lasted longer. In that brief time, emotions had rage through her: shock, amazement, embarrassment, but also joy, comfort, and excitement. Her heart flew into her throat, and her face heated. But it ended as quickly as it had begun, leaving Setsuna caught between embarrassment that her best friend had kissed her, and wanting her to do it again.

Konoka had only pulled away slightly, leaving just about ten centimeters between their faces. Compared to Setsuna's surprised countenance, Konoka's dreamy expression belied the love she was feeling for her Secchan. Setsuna relaxed her body which had slightly tensed at the kiss and brought a smile to her face, greatly enjoying the way her friend, her princess, was looking into her eyes. Deep brown eyes met with intense black, and an invisible, indescribable electricity passed between them. Setsuna's heart rate elevated once more as she gazed into the girl's eyes, lost in their murky depths. Something caused her to move her free hand up to cradle the back of Konoka's head. Her fingers laced through Konoka's silky brown hair. Slowly, she pulled the younger girl towards her gently and kissed her once more, longer than before. As their lips touched, Setsuna's eyes closed and she felt the elation of the first kiss with none of the regret. In her heart, Setsuna belonged to the other girl, both as a tool and as a servant, but also as a best friend, and maybe even something more now.

Their moment was interrupted when the sound of rustling bushes reached their ears from behind them. Setsuna pulled her face away quickly and pulled her love's head protectively against her chest. She turned around the best she could while seated and focused on the bush, readying her stowed wings for flight. The bush rustled some more and Konoka buried her head between Setsuna's breasts, letting out a small squeal. Setsuna was ready. _Let's see who wants to take my princess away from me!_

A small, brown figure plunged out of the bush, and landed on four squat legs, curled tail wagging slowly as it sniffed the air. Setsuna nearly burst out laughing.

"It's just a pig Kono-chan!" She said to the girl still hiding her face in her bosom. Konoka slowly pulled her face up and peeked over Setsuna's shoulder at the animal who had wandered over to the left, sniffing the ground fervently. Setsuna could feel the girl shake with mild laughter as she watched the small pig.

"You scared me Secchan, with your 'Let's see who wants to take my princess away from me!' It was cute though." She said as she smiled up at Setsuna, whose face rapidly turned a bright shade of red.

"You heard—I said that out loud?!"

Konoka just smiled, nodding her head slightly. She ignored her blushing friend's stammering and concentrated on the pig, who had apparently found something in a bush off to their left, on the edge of the clearing they were in. It was head deep in the bush, wriggling its backside in the air. Konoka stood and left a still flustered Setsuna. She wandered over beside the pig and squatted to see what the animal had found. After a few more seconds of wriggling, the pig backed out of the bush with something hanging over its snout. Konoka's eyes widened when she realized what it was that the pig had found. With a snarl too cute to be mistaken for real, Konoka snatched the article from the pig's snout.

"Secchan! The pig found my panties!"

Setsuna's attention snapped to the girl and the animal in slight confusion, her blush remaining bright on her face. "Th—the pig found _what_?"

The younger girl simply held the pink undergarments up to the other girl as she looked further into the bush for something more than panties. Setsuna diverted her eyes from the undergarments in the girl's hand and tried unsuccessfully to restrain her desire to peek. It wasn't long before she heard a happy squeal from the panties' owner, however. She backed herself out of the bush, carrying a jumble containing not only her own clothes, but Setsuna's as well.

"I found them Secchan!" Konoka shone a bright smile at her friend and began to set the articles of clothing out on the grass, counting each piece put down. As she placed the last—her maroon Mahora Academy jacket—she frowned. "We're missing something."

Setsuna hadn't been paying attention to the actual sorting of the clothes, but rather the girl doing the sorting. "What are we missing?"

Konoka gave her a slightly concerned look. "Your panties… It's strange, why would there be all of our clothes here, except…" With a sudden realization, Konoka looked up at Setsuna, who had come to the same conclusion just ahead of her. Both girls snapped their heads to look at the pig who was trotting off in the direction it had come, a hint of blue cotton hanging from its mouth.

"After that pig!" Konoka screamed as she sprung up from the grass and darted after the swine, leaving Setsuna to quickly gather up their clothes into a small bundle and rush after the girl. As she ran after Konoka, slight distress played across her face. _I really liked that pair of panties…_

End Chapter 7.

* * *

Author's Note: Hey everyone. Thank you for your continued support for this story! I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. It is a little slow, but important development for later on. Please leave a review or a PM if you so choose. I would really appreciate it, and others can testify that I strive to answer/respond to anyone who contacts me/writes a review. As of 1-6-15, through chapter has been revised. Thanks again for reading. In the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8.

The girls quickly caught up to the pig, who seemed too lazy to try and get away, and Konoka nearly pounced on it. She got a finger on the material in the pig's mouth and attempted to free the light blue undergarment. What she ended up with was a ripped shred of cotton hanging limply from her finger. She slumped to the ground in defeat as the pig took the opportunity to escape, dashing faster than Setsuna had figured possible for the stout swine, oinking to high heavens.

Konoka tossed the strip of destroyed underwear to the ground, distinctly pouting. She lowered her head in dejection. "He got away Secchan. And he made me rip your panties… I'm sorry…"

Setsuna shook her head, smiling, at the over reactive emotion coming from her princess. Konoka's emotions were somewhat like a roller coaster: she could be excited to bursting one moment, then as mopey as if the sky had fallen the next. Setsuna patted the top of the girl's head affectionately. "It's alright Kono-chan, we'll just have to buy me some new ones when we get out of here." Setsuna's mind halted, going over what she had just said. _Did I really just invite her to go panty shopping with me?_ She silently berated herself for being so forward, at least until Konoka smiled up at her with slightly watery eyes.

"Okay, but since I ripped them, I'm going to replace them," she said with a flash of mischief running across her face. When Setsuna tried to protest she quickly interjected, "I insist, Setsuna."

That settled it. Konoka rarely used her real name these days, it was always her pet name: 'Secchan.' Setsuna didn't mind of course, as long as it was only Konoka using it. It was cute when she said it, insulting when it was someone else. So when Konoka used her real name, Setsuna knew it was important to the girl, something not to be fought over. Instead, Setsuna smiled down at her master, saying simply "Of course, Kono-chan." That elicited at big smile from the girl as she got up and threw her arms around Setsuna's neck, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. Blushing, Setsuna shifted the bundle of clothes cradled in her right arm. "For now, why don't we just get dressed, huh?"

Konoka pulled away from her friend and took her clothes from the bundle, setting them neatly on the grass under her. Setsuna moved a small distance away from her and placed her clothes on the ground as well. To her slight surprise, and even slighter disappointment, Konoka had turned away from her so she could only see the younger girl's backside. With a deep breath, she turned her attention to herself and reached behind her to loosen the knot Konoka had tied to keep the bikini top on. She found that despite a few hours of activity, the knot had held rather tightly. _Konoka has some serious skills I didn't know about._ She then considered another option, frowning. _Or maybe it's still tight because my chest is so small, the motion didn't disturb the fit._ She knew she was pretty small in the chest, especially compared to a lot of her classmates, but that was something she couldn't change. _Damn that Chizuru, always flaunting herself about, making us all look bad. Kaede-sama, and Iincho too…_

Dealing with knots behind her back was not her forte, but she eventually got it to loosen and the folded leaf material fell to the ground, exposing her chest. She moved her arms to cover herself instinctively, rubbing the insides of her arms against her breasts, redoubling the unhappiness at their small size. She stole a quick glance at Konoka who had completely de-clothed and was starting to put on her bra, a white lacy thing—much more mature looking than Setsuna had guessed Kono-chan would wear. Her eyes strayed down to her friend's bottom, the supple curves of youth framing a slender set of hips. Setsuna was strangely drawn to Konoka's curves and had to shake herself to stop her ogling. _How indecent. She turned away from me for privacy and I betrayed that because I wasn't strong enough, and gave into lustful thoughts. How wrong of me. I shouldn't take advantage of ojousama like that… She's so sweet and innocent. I'm being just like that _lecherous _traveling monk from that anime that Konoka always likes to watch… What was his name? Hiroku? Miroki? Something like that... But still, it's not right to do that to her, regardless of how much I want it. _

That last thought jarred her slightly, and she stopped to consider it. She had obviously accepted her feelings towards the girl, but when? _People would always talk about love at first sight, but I knew ojousama long before I loved her. Do these feelings really just slip into you without your mind realizing it? Does love infect you before you even realize your guard is down? Is my love for her really affecting me that much? I can't let it affect my commitments, both to Konoka, and to Negi. I'm a Ministra to both of them after all._ Silently she steeled herself, making a fist with her hand in a moment of renewed purpose._ I must be strong for both of them, this I swear. _As she lowered her fist, she glanced back over at Konoka who was already clothed, her school uniform donned and the broad leaves lying abandoned at her feet. Setsuna watched her lean down at the waist and pull her panties up around her supple legs. Her eyes followed the piece of pink cotton until it disappeared under her skirt. Konoka's hands went to the front of her body and pulled the underwear up all the way, then with one deft motion borne of a life of practice moved her hands behind her, pulling the material up to cover her butt. Smoothing her skirt out, she twirled around.

Setsuna's eyes flicked up to meet hers as the chocolate haired girl spun to face her. Her bright smile faded slightly as she looked Setsuna over. She then burst out giggling. "Silly Secchan, you were supposed to get dressed, not watch me!"

Setsuna's heart dropped to her stomach. She threw her hands up in protest, a blush settling in her cheeks. "But—I wasn't—I was just…" As the older girl stammered, Konoka approached her with a mock pout, pulling a hand up on bopping her on the head.

"Lying's not nice Secchan!" Something between a grin and a smirk crossed Konoka's face. "Now, since you got to watch me dress, I get to watch you."

The blush that graced Setsuna's face intensified ten-fold, radiating heat like the sun. Her mind jumbled in a tangled mess of thoughts, strangely devoid of a solution to the current situation. After a pleading look at Konoka, she could tell that the girl wasn't going to budge about it, so she might as well get on with it. Interestingly enough, she didn't feel the normal reaction to the situation. Her heart was racing, suggesting that some part of her wanted Konoka to watch her dress. Staring intently at the ground, she filed away the odd feeling to deal with later as she moved her hands down to untie the bottom of her leaf bikini.

As she proceeded to unclothe and then re-clothe herself, she felt Konoka's eyes on her, searching over every portion of her body. She wasn't used to people seeing her naked, even if it was her ojousama. The natural shame and embarrassment was muted though, battling with another emotion she didn't quite understand. Excitement might have described it, but the feeling was more timid than that. At the risk of looking awkward, she hurriedly picked up her bra, and slipped it over her shoulders, so flustered that she couldn't get the clasp fastened. After several seconds of fumbling around with it she swore under her breath. Konoka giggled and asked cutely, "You need help with that Secchan?"

Without waiting for an answer she moved behind the charcoal-haired girl and fastened the clasp. Setsuna jumped as she felt Konoka's hands move around to embrace her from behind, right underneath her breasts. "There you go silly." Konoka placed a quick kiss on Setsuna's shoulder and gave the girl a light squeeze before releasing the embrace and wandering off to look at some flowers growing nearby, humming tunelessly yet beautifully.

Setsuna, stunned by what just happened, took a moment to collect herself. _So Konoka saw me naked. But she didn't react badly, and she even helped me when I was so nervous I couldn't think straight. And it felt really nice to have her hold me like that… _She looked down at the pile of clothes still resting on the ground. _Anyway, I guess I should finish dressing._ She lost herself in her friend's soft music as she pulled on the rest of her clothes, satisfied that her hands were much steadier than before.

When she finally slipped her school jacket over her white button-up she turned around to the young muse, who had picked a yellow flower from the jungle foliage and placed it delicately in hair above her left ear. She was still engrossed in the natural beauty of the flowers. Setsuna could only admire the radiant scene before her. It seemed like Konoka never tried to look pretty, she just did. She knew she was lucky to love such a beautiful girl.

It was hard for Setsuna to interrupt her humming, but they only had a few hours left in the resort. "You ready to move on Kono-chan? We haven't actually enjoyed the resort yet." Konoka looked up from the flowers dreamily. Instead of replying she simply stood and bounced to her knight's side. She wrapped her arm around Setsuna's as they started off into the jungle forest.

Konoka rested her head on Setsuna's shoulder and spoke softly, "You're wrong Secchan. I've enjoyed every minute here with you."

It was lucky that Konoka wasn't looking at her, lest she see the blush gracing her cheeks. Her heart beat faster, climbing into her throat. A sudden warmth came over her as she felt the girl tighten her grip on her arm. After a few seconds she responded.

"Me too, Kono-chan," adding a small kiss on her forehead. The two continued in the direction of the water, arm in arm, feeling closer than they ever had before.

* * *

The time was soon. But time was relative to the figure under the hood. Even here, trapped in this prison of glass and magic, eternity happened in an instant, the vastness of a moment stretched on forever. There was nothing and everything, all life in the galaxy united in a single glorious existence—one rapturous whole—yet broken and shattered into its many parts. Light penetrated the darkness which swallowed it whole, leaving a brilliantly bright void of blackness. To a lesser mind these thoughts—these facts—were nothing more than contradictions, but to the Mage of the Beginning, nothing was impossible. Yes the time was soon, and he couldn't wait.

End Chapter 8.

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Author's Note: Hey guys. Thanks for reading this chapter, and continuing to support my writing! I've got a few more followers now that the story is this far along and I want to thank all of you that liked "Barriers" enough to follow the story! I really enjoyed writing this chapter, especially the end with the Mage of the Beginning. I hope you liked it too! In other news, I have a new poll up that you can vote on. It's posted on my profile page (I hope), so please participate if you so choose. As always, please leave a review or send me a PM if you liked it, or have any other concerns/comments/questions. Thank you all for your continued support! In the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt

P.S. Oh, and kudos to those of you who got the Mass Effect reference in this chapter!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9.

The two girls strolled through the jungle forest in relative silence, enjoying each other's company. Setsuna kept her guard up, she had become wary of the resort since their last ordeal, but she made sure her intermittent surveillance didn't interfere with their companionship. Konoka had let go of her arm and chosen to simply hold her hand, which Setsuna didn't mind. After all, it left her freer to respond if anything did happen. _With something made by Evangeline, I guess we'll never know what to expect._ Konoka stopped occasionally to point out pretty flowers, interestingly shaped rocks, or ancient looking trees. Every time, Setsuna focused more on the girl than on the thing she was pointing to. Eventually, the trees thinned and they found the beach that stretched the perimeter of the jungle island. Upon seeing the glistening water Konoka let go of Setsuna's hand and rushed onto the beach, jumping with more enthusiasm than Setsuna expected her to have, considering they hadn't had more than about an hour of sleep in what amounted to a full day since that morning in the real world.

On the beach, Konoka pulled off her jacket and set it on the sand so it wouldn't get wet, then ran, splashing into the water. She stopped when the water reached her knees and turned back to face Setsuna. "Come on Secchan! The water feels great!"

Setsuna never understood why the girl had so much energy, not unlike most of the rest of their class 3-A. With a slight grin she thought to herself, _I suddenly understand why Chisame-san is always annoyed at the other girls…_ Shaking off her bemusement, Setsuna jogged down to join Konoka, pulling off her own jacket and placing it over her love's. She saw Konoka's bright smile inviting her into the water, but right as she moved to join her, a great shadow eclipsed the surface of the water. It swept up from behind Konoka and covered her in darkness. Setsuna watched in horror as the water around her turned from crystal blue to roiling, violent red. A figure she knew all too well rose out of the shadowed water behind Konoka. His black robe billowed around him despite the lack of wind. Ropes of shadows clawed their way out from his back, sucking the energy from the sky. An immense weight of tainted spiritual energy bore down on Setsuna, who could only stare, paralyzed from shock, at the Mage of the Beginning levitating above Konoka.

For a moment there was nothing. No sound, no movement, no time, nothing. Then a scream from the chocolate-haired girl pierced the silence when she turned to see the cloaked figure above her. Setsuna snapped out of fear and back to readiness, letting her wings erupt out of her skin and rip through the back of her white button-up. _Why is _he_ here?! Negi and Asuna defeated him! That's why they had to leave Mahora for now: to go find him and end it! What's going on?_ She tried to calm down, emotions always got in the way of combat. _This is bad. It took both Negi and Asuna to beat him in Mundus Magicus, and I don't even have a weapon. I need to get Konoka away from him... If I fly, I might just be able to get her away._ Setsuna readied her snow white wings for flight, but as soon as she launched into the air, a thick band of shadow burst from the hooded figure's cloak. It wrapped around the chocolate-haired girl's abdomen and pulled her into the air. Konoka let out a gut wrenching scream as she was raised up out of the water.

The hooded figure brought the girl close to his face. The hood cast shadows on his face, concealing his identity, but that only served to make Konoka more fearful. As she stared into the empty void under the hood, she heard a raspy voice laugh, the sound of it as dead leaves crumbling underfoot. The crackling laugh turned into a roar as the figure stretched its arms out to either side, his voice less of a leaf crumpling and more of a stand of trees falling down to the ground.

"The time is now!" Two bands of shadows extended towards Konoka and wrapped themselves tightly around her wrists. Two more bound her ankles. The one wrapped around her middle unraveled and seeped back into the hooded figure as the girl was lifted high into the air. It appeared that the dark mage was watching her placement, making sure she was in just the right spot. When he had her right where he wanted her, he turned his head back to Setsuna, who had touched down and fallen to her knees in despair. _There's no way I can beat him. But he has Konoka! She's in danger! I have to do _something_! But I—I can't win against this kind of power, especially unarmed…_

The hooded figure cackled at her, the sound of breaking, dry leaves returned. "Get up weak one. Come challenge the darkness and the light. The power of the void shall consume you. An absolute vacuum will enter your soul, and you will become full with its sustenance. Time will stand still as each minute passes. Come, join this divisional unity." Setsuna couldn't make sense of his words, but she saw he liked talking. Maybe there was a way to end this without having to fight unarmed.

She lifted herself unsteadily to her feet, putting on the best act of courage she could muster."Why are you here, and what do you want with ojousama?!" In her fright she forgot to use Konoka's real name, but she knew the semantics of names didn't matter right now.

Laughing derisively, the shadowy figure spat back an answer, lowering his arms. "Want? It is not a question of want, but of time. The time is here, and it must happen now. It might happen in the past, it might have happened in the future. But the present lasts only for the briefest of eternities, and it must not be squandered, lest it recur. And the Mage of the Beginning does not appreciate waiting." He seemed to pause, presumably waiting for Setsuna's response. Between the immense and tainted spiritual energy the dark mage was producing, and the endless string of riddles, Setsuna was having an understandably hard time coming up with an answer. She persisted on though.

"Time for what? You still have not told us!" She gave the figure wrapped in a shadowy cloak the strongest look she could muster.

A sigh reminiscent of a small storm blowing through a cave was released from behind the hood. "Everything. Time for everything, and nothing. A beginning, but also an end. Yes, it will be _a_ beginning, but not _the _beginning. There are many beginnings and this is just one. One that contains many ends, and yet only one recognizable end, others to be revealed later. Now come, for I grow impatient!"

With that the shadows around his head formed spears and hurled themselves at Setsuna. Even burdened with the force of his spiritual presence, she was still able to dodge the spears, maneuvering this way and that, but the footing was difficult on the soft sand. Her last move to her left had left her a little off balance and she couldn't get out of the way of the final shadow-spear before it grazed her side, tearing her shirt and taking more flesh with it than seemed possible for a glancing blow. The only consolation was that the wound had somehow cauterized—there was no blood to speak of. But as soon as she shifted her weight to balance properly, a burning pain shot through her body, seeming to come from the fresh wound. Fortunately she was used to pain from her Shinmeiryuu training. She tried to focus through the pain but a scream broke her concentration.

"SECCHAN! What have you done you bully!" Setsuna looked up to see Konoka struggling uselessly against her shadowy bonds. The look of hate was a rare sight on her face, but it was there in full, directed through crying eyes at the dark mage. He was apparently ignoring her completely, withdrawing the shadows into himself slowly, so she turned her attention to Setsuna. "Secchan! Are you okay? How bad is it?" She looked as close to the point of hysteria as Setsuna had ever seen her.

"I'm fine Konoka, really." She lied to Konoka to keep her calm. _No point in frightening her more. _Setsuna covered her injury as best she could with her hand and turned her attention to the hooded figure. She called out to him with the best pleading tone she could muster, desperately trying to find a way out of the situation. "Mage, would you really fight an unarmed opponent, helpless to fight back?"

The shadow cloaked figure paused, then laughed—a darker, coarser laugh that sounded like a spade being dragged through gravel. "So a weapon is what you desire. A tool of war to bring peace. Peace that is but an illusion, yet solid in its foundation. Yes, you may have a weapon." He outstretched an arm and turned a pale hand, palm side, up towards the sky. The wind seemed to gather at that spot, and a whirlwind of light and shadow began to rage above his palm. The warring elements concentrated until they became as one, a single point of unity. Suddenly, the point detonated, sending forth a shockwave that nearly knocked Setsuna off her feet. She covered her eyes as she looked back up at the mage's hand. There was now two lights emanating from the point—a pure white light shining towards the water, and a black void of darkness creeping into the sky. The two lights separated vertically and what was left made Setsuna gasp. It was an exact replica of her sword Yunagi, except with a snow white hilt, and a pitch black blade. How the dark mage knew what her sword was like, she couldn't guess, but if she was going to be given a weapon, she knew she had the best odds with _her_ weapon.

Momentary joy quickly turned to wariness as the hooded figure grasped the hilt of the sword and flung it, blade first, at Setsuna. She was able to dodge this time, and the blade dug into the sand at her feet. She reached down and freed the sword from the sand. She tossed it back and forth in her hands, feeling the weight. _It's a bit light, but I guess that's better than too heavy. If it holds up, it might even be better than the real Yunagi._ She set her jaw and readied for battle, her new sword raised in front of her.

"You want to take Konoka away from me? I can't let that happen. I have a promise to keep!" She launched into the air and flew at the mage, heading for Konoka. _If I can cut her down, then we can flee._ As she closed in on her love, a slash of shadow flew at her from her right. She spun down and to the left, easily avoiding the attack. Another shadow-spear came in from the other side, and again she rolled out of the way midair. More attacks came at her, but her agile wings allowed her to stay unharmed. She reached Konoka relatively easily and raised her sword above her head. With a roar she swung the sword down hard on the band of shadow.

But the blade didn't contact. It glided right through the shadow. She gaped at the bindings, completely intact, as her momentum tumbling her away from the bonded girl, sending her into the roiling sea.

Bobbing out of the water, she stared up at the unbroken bondage. A dry, grating laugh came from behind the hood. With a grunt of frustration, Setsuna launched herself out of the water. She wasn't done yet. She steadied herself in the air, focusing hard on the bands of shadows. There wasn't much room for error, with the girl so close to the bonds. Luckily, Setsuna had a technique to get around that. With a deep breath in Setsuna raised her blade in her right hand above her left shoulder. Her _ki_ funneled into the black blade. Years of arduous training in the Shinmeiryuu arts had prepared her for this moment. She was ready.

As she swung down and away, she shouted the attack's keywords. "ZANMAKEN NI-NO-TACHI!"

An unusual, dark crescent shot from the blade as the dark metal cut the air. The crescent of energy passed right through Konoka as expected, but then wrapped around the bonds and slowed. The slash of blackness vanished as its energy dissipated. Setsuna gaped at the failed technique. "What? It didn't work? How is that possible?" Her head snapped to the cloaked figure as he huffed, the sound of a thunderclap ringing in her ears.

"Silly girl. Do you really think that something borne of shadow can break the shadows? How foolish. Darkness is all encompassing. You _cannot_ destroy it." The dark mage added a small, coarse chuckle for effect.

Setsuna only scowled and shouted him. "I _will_ find a way to defeat you!"

The figure remained silent for a moment. Then asked candidly, "did you notice anything strange about your attack?"

It was only then that Setsuna realized something _was_ different. Usually the _ken_ techniques released white energy. This last one released black energy. Setsuna realized that it had to be the sword. Something about it was corrupting the purity of her _ki_. She scowled even fiercer at him. "Damn you! You gave me a tainted sword!" Though she could not see his face, she got the distinct sense that he was balking at her.

"Tainted? Hardly. Darkness and light cannot be tainted. The two coexist. One extinguishing the other. They fight. Though they both pervade every aspect of life, they cannot affect the quality of objects, nor events. You fail to understand this distinction, and that will be your undoing."

The hooded figure launched spikes of shadows at her, too many to maneuver away from. She was going to be hit. Frantically she parried as many as possible given their high velocity. She felt one bury itself in her thigh; another impaled her left arm. One grazed her cheek as she deflected it with the blade, sending it ripping through her right wing. The assault only let up when a fourth plunged itself deep in her stomach. She doubled over in pain, her mind numbing itself in response to the overwhelming stimulus. She fell to the shallow water, blood mixing with sweat and the saltwater beneath her. Far off in the distance, she heard a scream.

"SECCHAN!"

She struggled to remain conscious, hanging onto whatever part of herself was still there. Breathing came first, then thought. She knew who she was, and who she needed to protect. That was enough. Kneeling, she pulled the spikes out of her body, one by one letting them fall into the water. She placed the point of the blade in the sand under the water and leaned on it to stand. Unsteadily she glared at the dark mage. She could go on. She had to go on. For Konoka.

"Impressive, weakling. But I have no intention of killing you yet. No, this time was meant for something else. Something else entirely." For the first time in the entire encounter, the hooded figure turned to face Konoka. He raised a hand towards the trapped girl and turned his head back to look at Setsuna. "This one, she is special to you. Insignificant in some ways, but the most important part as well. Tell me, what would eternity be like without her? What would a moment be in her absence? Would the darkness consume you? Would you spend night and day mourning over the instant you lost her? This, this is why I am here. And this is the time to find out. The eternity of this moment is here!"

With a booming laugh like a hurricane the dark mage sent a single black arrow piercing through the air, straight for Konoka.

Before Konoka could react, it impacted her, plunging into her heart. The chocolate-haired girl let out one final scream as the life flowed out of her, a growing red patch marring her white blouse. With the last bit of strength she looked towards Setsuna, her eyes watery and pleading, her mouth working with unspoken words. Then her body went limp. Her head dropped to her chest, the light that was always in her eyes went dull, and she was gone.

"NO! Konoka! NO!" Setsuna had stretched a hand up as if she could stop the arrow before it impacted. It fell to her side now as she watched her love die. Tears streamed uncontrollably from her eyes and her voice cracked with emotion. "Why?! Why did you do that! You monster! No! Konoka, come back! You can't die. You can't… I never… I never got to tell you. To confess to you that I loved you. I love you Konoka! Now come back… Come back to me my love!"

Konoka's limp body didn't move. She didn't react. She really was gone. Forever.

Setsuna fell to her knees and gave into weeping. An emptiness filled her, a bleakness sought out whatever joy was left and snuffing it out of existence. Shaken out of focus, her injuries hit her anew. She had lost a lot of blood, and everything was going dark. She felt cold, so cold… but she didn't die. Something was keeping her alive.

With great struggle she looked up through watery eyes at the Mage of the Beginning. He had hovered over to her with his shadowy cloak billowing in the still air. He reached down with a pale hand and cupped her chin, pulling it close to his face. For the first time his voice sounded human. In fact, it had a familiar ring to it. "Now Setsuna, see what a moment of eternity is like without your light in the darkness." She caught a faint hint of a smile in the shadow of his hood before she felt a stabbing pain in her chest. The world around her grew blurry as she tried to make sense of mage's instructions. The cold seeped into her core as the last bits of life ebbed out of her.

* * *

As the girl crumpled to the ground lifeless, the Mage of the Beginning knew he had done his job well. He watched as a single yellow flower floated in the water. Two girls, two corpses, and a new beginning. Nagi Springfield grinned under the hood of shadows as he sank back into the water. _A new beginning indeed_.

End Chapter 9.

* * *

Author's Note: Hey everyone! Thanks for reading Chapter 9! I had so much fun writing this part! I hope you enjoyed it as well. If you do like it, please review it, or shoot me a PM. Don't worry, this is not the end of Barriers! I can't say anything more, but please stay tuned! Also, please visit the poll on my profile if you have time, I would like some additional feedback. Thanks again and as always, in the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10.

Dark. The blackest night that no light could penetrate. As if all light was snuffed out. Snuffed like life from a soul.

Cold. The frozen wasteland that no heat could touch. As if all heat was doused in an ocean of ice. Doused like the warmth of a body.

Empty. The complete nothingness of a void in which no being could alight. As if all existence was shrouded in shadow. Shrouded like the emotions of a deceased girl.

A great vacuum of space stretched on in every direction, embodied in a place, but a place that was also not a place.

And a girl in that place. Rather, the memory of a girl, floating weightlessly, yet burdened beyond comprehension. Bodiless, the memory existed in the emptiness, feeling nothing, seeing nothing. For a time, the girl's memory was the only thing in the void.

Eventually, after a brief eternity had passed, the memory started to solidify. Wispy remnants of limbs began to coalesce. As the total emptiness evanesced, she became more real. Her body formed from appearing smoke, barely visible in the darkness. More of her came into being until her entire body existed in the void. The shadow became flesh, recreating her body down to the last detail, from her charcoal colored hair to her snow white wings. Sakurazaki Setsuna was real in the void. But she didn't wake up.

Her body struggled to come back to life in the void. Despite the lack of oxygen, or air of any sort, her lungs began to expand shallowly. Her heart beat in a slow, rhythmic pattern, creating the only sound penetrating the silence. Organs began to pump fluids through her body, replenishing vital blood to her starved extremities. Muscles rejuvenated, joints relaxed, and nerves fired. Soon, every organ was ready for life, all except one. The human brain, being possibly the most complex collection of matter in the universe, takes a long time to come back from the dead. Even more troubling is the fact that posthumous degradation of neural pathways means that what were once solid, personal memories and emotions might now be nothing more than a lost memory themselves. All of who you were might be lost in a single, cataclysmic fire, leaving only the ash and soot of what was your life at your feet.

But Setsuna was different. She had something to come back for. _She_ had something to live for, and _nothing_ was going to stand in her way.

Her eyes twitched behind their closed lids as her mind began stirring. Ocular movement increased as her grey matter fired frantic signals, desperately trying to restore the neural pathways. Re-establishing connections is harder than following them, so the strongest routes reconnected first, eventually giving way to less formed pathways. Had the cells the ability to reason, they might have stayed away from this approach as it altered the girl's personality irreversibly. The last, strongest emotions she felt in the last iteration of life became the dominant pathways, replacing old, broken ones. This was the new Setsuna.

The neural activity triggered dream like memories that flooded the girl's still mind. Her eyes twitched rapidly as what was left of her soul was plunged into something between a dream and a nightmare. Her still forming mind meant that good and bad memories were simultaneously resurrected, giving the dream-like state unprecedented dichotomy. Although, despite the clarity of the dreams, Setsuna's mind was barely able to comprehend them. Higher cognitive function hadn't yet returned to her, so the vivid images were not but a jumble of color and motion. Minutes passed, days, centuries, all in a moment. The colors got sharper, the motion more defined, and Setsuna's mind could start to recognize basic things in the dream. Images of her younger days flitted before her mind's eye. Training in the mountains of Kyoto at the Shinmeiryuu dojo. Meeting Konoe Eishun-sama, whose lips moved but no sound came out. He stepped to the side and the most beautiful girl, about her age, was revealed behind him, holding onto his traditional style pants.

At the sight of her, strong emotions flooded her mind, as if a dam had just been broken upon seeing her face. Happiness and longing filled her to the brim. Suddenly the world shifted and changed. They were in a dorm room at Mahora that she vaguely remembered was Konoka and Asuna's. She was sitting on the edge of Konoka's bunk, with the chocolate-haired girl sitting on her lap, smiling brightly at her. A blush suffused her cheeks both in the dream, and in the void.

The dorm melted to reveal the memory of the time Konoka was captured by the Kansai Magic Association as well as by Fate Averruncus, her unconscious body being used for a ritual summoning of a gigantic demon. Her blood boiled with rage and fear. She tried to yell out but found her voice wavery and thin. Fate laughed a cold laugh, taunting her inability to speak. She lunged at him just as the dream changed again.

Black steel flashed across her vision, she barely had enough time to raise her hands to block the dark sword, finding, much to her relief, her own sword Yunagi in her hands. At the other end of the demon blade was a young, cute girl with a ghastly smile that never fully reached her eyes. Tsukuyomi stared at her intently, daring her to continue the fight. Setsuna remembered this fight. It was the last one before Negi and Asuna defeated the Mage of the Beginning to save the magical world. The thought of the evil mastermind behind the group named Cosmo Entelecheia shifted her surroundings once again.

She was spun into a memory so fresh, she could remember every detail crystal clear. It had happened only a moment ago, but it felt like another life. She saw her body, her own body, lying on the soft, wet sand. Blood was seeping out of her chest and mixing with the water in a sickening red slurry. She felt odd seeing her own body lifeless there in the sand. Quickly, she looked to where her love floated in the water. Setsuna moved over to her body and looked at her face. Her expression seemed serene. With the loss of blood her youthful beauty had lost its liveliness, but she was still pretty. Setsuna didn't quite know how to describe her expression; perhaps peaceful was the appropriate word. She hung her head over the lifeless body of her ojousama and wept. Dry weeping became wet as her tear ducts revived, and soon she was shaking heavily with sobs. Her thoughts came to her broken, both from overwhelming emotion and because she was dreaming.

_Why did this happen? Why her? Why?_ For a while that question was all that Setsuna could ask, sometimes screaming it into the still air of the void while she dreamt.

After what seemed like hours, her tears dried and her thoughts cleared. She looked solemnly at Konoka's lifeless body and moved a hand to push a strand of hair from her face. When she touched her face, strong emotions of pain and sadness filled her. She realized she'd never be able to touch the chocolate-haired girl's face again, never be touched in return. She would never feel the happiness and warmth of her presence. Her innocent smile gone forever.

Forever.

An emptiness more potent than that of the void consumed her. Infinity without the one she loved, reliving the memories they shared but never creating new ones. In a raw state of emotion she gave a bitter chuckle. _I don't know if reliving the memories of our time together is a blessing or a curse: a constant reminder of what I couldn't protect._ She pulled the girl's body from the water and gave it one final embrace, hoping beyond hope that the gesture would revive the girl. But alas, there are dreams that cannot be.

Setsuna cradled Konoka in her arms and gave her a light kiss on the forehead. She spoke softly to the girl, who might be listening somewhere. "You'll never know how much I loved you. I never got the chance to confess to you, and I regret that now. Konoka… I love you. More than just a friend. You were special to me, and I can never thank you enough for the time we spent together. So thank you, my love." With that she placed one last kiss on her soft lips and scooped the girl up in her arms. She carried the girl over to the shore and laid her on the soft sand. Retrieving her own body, she placed the two side by side. _If this is a memory, then it shouldn't change. At least here we'll be together, forever._ With a reluctant look back at the two bodies she forced her world to change.

The tropics gave way to their classroom at Mahora which she spent some time in alone. The next shift landed her in a memory of the magical world where she could feel the fake cat ear disguise on her head. Then onto meeting Negi sensei on the train to Kyoto on the class field trip. Shift after shift she moved through the memories of her life. Some were bright and vivid, others so muddled by time passed that she began to doubt that some of them were even her own. Memories came and went while she was suspended in the dream-like state.

After a while the rate of the shifting increased such that she was moving between memories every few seconds. She made it through every part of her life she could remember, and some parts she didn't remember. When the last part of her life shifted out of focus, the memories started cycling anew, drawing her once again into their hold.

Time was funny in the void. She might have spent minutes absorbed in the dreams, or it might have been decades. In the end, it was a small eternity for her. A seemingly infinite amount of memories passed before her senses. After countless cycles, she began to only focus on the times spent with her friends, especially with Konoka, to keep her sanity. She smiled when she smiled, laughed when she laughed, cried when she cried. Every time a memory of Konoka shifted into focus, she became excited. When the moment passed, she steeled herself for the next one.

Eventually her mind grew weary and she let all the memories flow by, barely conscious of their passing. She felt so tired. She wanted to rest and have it all end. She felt herself slipping from the fabric of the dreams. _Maybe if I close my eyes for just a second, it'll all be over._ Despite the weightlessness of her body, the lids of her eyes felt heavy. The last shift came and went as she let her eyes close in the dream…

And her eyes opened to the bleakness of the void. Now there was truly nothing. No light, no sound, no stimulus of any kind except her own existence. She could feel her body, fresh and very much alive. She could hear her heartbeat, taste the saliva in her mouth, feel the softness of her own flesh. But that was it. No matter how hard she looked in any direction, all she could see was blackness. Nothing moved, nothing made a sound. Complete emptiness.

She called out in the darkness. "Where am I? Am I dead? What's going on?" No response came from the darkness. "Is anyone out there? Can anybody hear me?"

Nothing.

Setsuna cursed under her breath.

She spent a long time trying to figure out the nature of the existence she was in. It was a futile effort, for the void was a realm of existence so far beyond her own, she couldn't even imagine it. And yet, she was in it. In reality, her mind was fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding. There was no understanding the void, it simply _was_.

And she was stuck in it. Years passed. Decades. Centuries. And Setsuna survived. Her body grew old, withered, and died, only to be revived again from the ashes. Each time her mind came back, exactly the same as the moment she had first died, but with a new loneliness of another lifetime alone in the void. Despair consumed her. Darkness ravaged her soul, and she longed for a source of light. Once she thought she saw a spark, but it faded away moments after its apparition. She gave up on light, just as she gave up on everything around her. Everything except her love for Konoka. That was something she couldn't—no, _wouldn't_ give up. Each time she died and was born again in the void her resolve strengthened to keep Konoka centered in her mind, to make the girl her light in the darkness. In the vast expanse of time she prayed, reciting voiceless chants of "Konoka, for you I wait. For you I live. For you I die. You are my light in the darkness, and the darkness shall never consume you."

Cycle after cycle continued on until finally, after countless turns of the wheel, the cycle broke. This time, when her body disintegrated, no smoke came to reconstruct her body. The smoldering ashes of her body faded into oblivion and left her mind to permeate the void alone. After eons of the cycle, the sudden change might have surprised the once charcoal-haired youth, but an eternity of darkness dulls the curiosity. She spent the next hundred years as nothing more than loose thoughts clinging onto the final strings of existence. Until those too fell apart. What was once a lively, dedicated, loving young girl became as a memory to the void. It was still dark, it was still cold, and it was still empty. Transient existence often cycled through the great realm of Cosmo Entelecheia, but none left it so thoroughly changed as Sakurazaki Setsuna.

End Chapter 10.

* * *

Author's Note: And here is chapter 10! I hoped you enjoyed reading it! This "Cosmo Entelecheia" arc has been really fun to write, so I hope you've enjoyed it! I know the story might seem slow, but I'm just getting warmed up! Please continue to support me and the intrepid duo as they find their way back to each other. As always, comments/questions/criticism/and praise is appreciated. Thank you for your support and in the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11.

Something stirred within Setsuna as her body laid there on the hard wood floor of Evangeline's cottage. It was the stirring of wakefulness, her mind slowly recovering from a lifetime within the void. Her eyes fluttered open heavily, not seeing much beyond diffuse light. A deep groan escaped from her mouth as she felt a massive headache ravaging her mind. As she propped herself up on one elbow, she moved a hand over her brow, massaging her temples. _I haven't felt this bad in a long time_, she thought to herself.

Letting her hand fall she looked around the room she was in. In the half-darkness she could see the glass spheres of Evangeline's magic resort. _What? Why am I at Evangeline's cottage? I never come here. Not alone at least._ Her gaze drifted down to a body lying on the floor a few paces from her. As her eyes adjusted to the sight she recognized the chocolate colored hair. "Konoka!"

She moved swiftly over to the small girl, curled up in a ball on the ground. She turned the girl over to find her sleeping peacefully; shallow, easy breaths making her chest rise and fall rhythmically. Something tickled her brain as she gazed at her sleeping friend. She reached a hand to pull a strand of hair from Konoka's face.

When her hand made contact with the girl's face the events of the last few hours surged back into her brain. Their time in the jungle, getting trapped in the cave, wrestling with the pig, snuggling in the pool, dying by the hand of the Mage of the Beginning. Even her time in the void returned to her, those eons spent teetering between life and death, sanity and madness. She had lost everything, everything she loved, everything she wanted to protect. She couldn't stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks as strong emotions overwhelmed her. Her eyes clamped shut, trying to forget the resurfacing pain she had felt in the void. She shook uncontrollably with grief and pain.

Then Setsuna felt arms embrace her around her neck and she opened tear filled eyes to find Konoka smiling weakly up at her, tears welling up in her own eyes. "Welcome home Secchan."

Setsuna blinked through watery eyes and chuckled huskily. "Only you could die and be completely unphased Kono-chan." The girl holding onto her neck smiled but tears rolled down her cheeks as well.

"I missed you so much Secchan."

Setsuna wrapped her arms around the younger girl's body and pulled her up to give her a warm embrace. "I missed you too my love." The two spent a while in each other's arms, tears and emotion flowing freely.

After a long while they broke the embrace and sat there on the cottage's cold wood floor. Neither spoke for a time—words were hard to find after such an experience. Finally, Konoka spoke up, slight confusion playing across her face.

"Secchan, why didn't we die?"

Setsuna was surprised at the question until she stopped to think about it. _She's right, why didn't we die? Evangeline always said that what happened in the resort carried back over to the real world. And we _did_ die in there. So why are we here?_ She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by a loud cry from somewhere upstairs.

* * *

Evangeline shot bolt upright in her bed.

"SHIT!"

She knew something had bothered her as she had gone to bed, and now she remembered what. The golden-haired girl leapt out from under the bed sheets and bounded down the stairs to the lower level. _Shit, shit, shit! I can't have their blood on my hands… Old man Konoe would kill me!_ She whipped around the banister, nearly slipping on the hard wood floor in her hurry. She leapt to the door that housed the resort and flung it open.

"Konoka! Setsuna! Are you guys all ri—" Evangeline stopped mid-sentence when she saw the girls in question on the floor in front of the crystal balls, Konoka wide eyed in surprise, Setsuna instinctively raising one arms to shield the chocolate-haired girl. The small vampiress let out an exasperated sigh as she leaned against the doorframe. _Thank God they're unharmed._

Behind Setsuna, Konoka spoke up."Eva-chan, what's the matter?"

Evangeline looked between the two girls with her usual sharp gaze and raised a hand in a beckoning gesture. "Why don't we have some tea?"

The two girls on the ground looked at each other and shrugged. Setsuna helped Konoka stand, noting that beyond the headache, her body felt no different than any other day. When the girl had stood, Setsuna put an arm around her waist for balance, and comfort. Evangeline watched Setsuna carefully before calling out to her mechanical Ministra over her shoulder. "Chachamaru, would you mind starting tea water for three in the kitchen?"

A faint, "Yes master" came from a room nearby. With a nod Evangeline gestured for the girls to exit the room.

"Head over to the kitchen and take a seat. I'll join you as soon as I change into something more presentable," she said while motioning to her Victorian era nightwear. As the still somewhat dazed couple left the room the small blonde proceeded to stroll majestically down the hall and ascend the stairs to her room. While she glided up the stairs she thought to herself. _I'm really not looking forward to explaining this to them. Ugh. Why does this always happen to me?_

* * *

Konoka allowed herself to be led by the waist to the kitchen a few rooms away. She was fully capable of walking on her own, but after her own time in the void, she didn't want Setsuna to let her go. The memories of the recent events swirled around in her mind, none clear enough to remember yet, but enough to impart an overarching feeling. She felt more tied to the girl holding her than she ever had before. Something had changed, but she couldn't quite put a finger on what.

As the two girls entered the kitchen, their robotic classmate greeted them in her usual, overly formal way. "Good afternoon Konoe-san, Sakurazaki-san." Without waiting for a response she continued. "Please, be seated. The tea will be ready shortly."

Setsuna gave her a small bow of her head. "Thank you Chachamaru-san." Setsuna's hand moved from Konoka's waist to one of the heavy wooden chairs. She pulled it out from the table and offered it to Konoka who sat gracefully, folding her hands in her lap.

Konoka watched her sworn protector seat herself, expecting her to make eye contact once she was comfortable. Instead, Setsuna kept her eyes on Chachamaru, intently watching the robot girl place tea bags in the empty cups. Slightly irked that her friend was ignoring her, she pouted cutely and lightly clapped Setsuna on the knee. The charcoal-haired girl jumped slightly and raised an eyebrow at her. "Something wrong Kono-chan?"

Konoka decided to tease her a little more—she didn't like being too serious all the time. "I was just thinking that we never got to have any fun today…" She hung her head in mock dejection. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Setsuna's eyes widen. _Hehe. Now she's going to stammer a response. Maybe something along the lines of 'you almost died! But of course, we could do anything you want.' _

Except that didn't happen. Setsuna instead just nodded, saying "yeah, you're right" flatly. Konoka was fairly surprised, and somewhat confused. She didn't have time to wonder however, as her thoughts were interrupted by Chachamaru setting down the tray with their tea on it. She glanced quickly at the tray, a nice floral design matching the cups and saucers their tea sat in, then back to the girl in the chair next to her. She couldn't figure out what was wrong with Setsuna. _Is she sick? Does she feel well? Should I say something to her?_

Her thoughts were disrupted again, this time by Evangeline strutting into the room, her scowl marring her otherwise pretty visage. She had changed into a light, old-fashioned dress with small ruffles on the sleeves and too much lace for Konoka's taste. _But it's just the sort of thing Eva-chan likes_, she thought.

Evangeline moved to the opposite side of the table from Setsuna and her and sat, glaring at the tea for no obvious reason. After picking up her cup and giving it a sniff she called out to her mechanical maidservant, who had moved to another room of the cottage. "What sort of tea did you make us Chachamaru? It smells dreadful!"

A small paused filled the room before the robot girl moved to the doorway and responded. "It's called Genmai Cha. It's traditional green tea steeped with cooked brown rice. I figured it would be something Konoka-san and Setsuna-san would like more than your standard tea, master." She bowed politely and retreated back into the other room. Konoka heard Evangeline mutter under her breath. Something about missing Earl Grey, whoever that was.

With a deep sigh she focused her attention on Konoka, a grave look in her eyes. She then looked at the knight, giving her the same look, then back to the healer. "We need to talk about what—."

She was quickly interrupted by Setsuna who jumped down her throat much quicker than Konoka expected her to. "The golem, the Dark Mage, the void, all of it. Your doing?" The charcoal-haired girl was giving Evangeline an icy, accusatory stare. Setsuna's intensity frightened Konoka, who placed a hand on her arm, hoping the contact would soften her demeanor. A little surprisingly, Setsuna covered Konoka's hand with her own, but the cold glare didn't change. Her worry for her friend increased as Evangeline answered.

"Yes. And no. The golem is mine. I crafted several monsters to tend to the environment in my stead, all of them harmless. The rest? They were put there against my will, out of necessity. Negi needs extensive training, and a perfect analog for the final fight against Nag—the Mage of the Beginning. It is absolutely crucial. If Negi fails to defeat the evil mage that took control of his father, everything we have accomplished up to this point is meaningless. The magical world will surely collapse. If it does, every object, every person, every _speck_ of matter in it wastes away on the surface of Mars. The inhabitants would be helpless in the face of their own demise. It would be a fate worse than being sent to the Eternal Garden of Cosmo Entelecheia." Konoka couldn't tell if Evangeline was concerned for the people of the magical world or not. Her words seemed caring, but the insensitive look on her face belied her true emotions. She was at one time the most wanted mage in the world, but Konoka had thought her time with the class of 3-A had changed her. _Maybe not…_she thought.

"However," Evangeline continued, sipping her tea delicately, "how the things got into my resort is not your concern. What is your concern is your interaction with them just now. I can sense something grievous hanging over you both. Tell me, what happened to you?" Evangeline set her teacup down on the matching saucer and stirred the green liquid absently with her spoon, clearly more interested in them than the tea.

Konoka looked at Setsuna who glanced back at her. They both spoke up at once, tripping over each other's words. With an exasperated noise Evangeline put up a hand. "One at a time. Konoka, you go first."

The chocolate-haired girl's mind was spinning, trying to remember all that had happened in the past few hours. She was having a hard time figuring out where to start. Her voice was shaky as she began.

"I… I still don't remember everything, but I'll start where I remember." Evangeline gave her a slight nod of the head. "Secchan and I were running through the jungle and we came to the beach, and then when I was in the water… Something grabbed me, I couldn't see it very well. But it was hurting Secchan, and it wouldn't let me go. Then… then he threatened us and… and I felt a sharp pain in my chest." Setsuna's hand was still over hers and when she got to that part of the story, she gripped Konoka's hand hard. She looked at her protector and felt fresh tears rolling slowly down her cheeks. "I was so scared Secchan! I screamed, and then everything went black." Blinking back her tears Konoka watched her knight mover her hand up to wipe them away. She didn't say anything, but her eyes spoke of sadness and comfort.

Evangeline spoke in unusually reverent tones. "What happened next Konoka?"

"I… I'm not sure. I don't really remember." And that was the simple truth, she really didn't remember. There was just vague senses of memories left from what happened next. "There was darkness. I didn't feel anything. I—I don't think I was awake, but I wasn't dead… Oh, I'm not making any sense…" She shook her head in frustration, angry with herself for failing to understand her own memories. _But they seem so alien, how am I supposed to explain it to them?_ She began to feel more tears welling in her eyes.

Just then, Evangeline spoke up, her voice cold and pointed, "Setsuna, did you experience something similar?"

With the attention diverted from her, Konoka dried her eyes with the back of her hand, then looked at Setsuna, who since her outbreak had said nothing. The warrior's eyes were sharply staring at the table, but Konoka could sense she was looking beyond it. When she did speak, her voice was unwavering, steady and cold to match Evangeline's.

"Yes. I died in your resort just like Konoka-ojousama. Died, then awoke in a place beyond description. A place where nothing was everything. There were images, countless memories of my own life flashing before me, taunting me with their clarity. Lifetimes spent cycling through my life flashing before my eyes. Then at once they were gone and I felt nothing but my own body. Another eternity spent in total darkness." Konoka's eyes widened as she heard her friend describe her experience. _Oh Secchan, it sounds so terrible…_

Setsuna had begun to shake in her seat. Suddenly her eyes left the table and fixated on Evangeline. "I died over and over, but still my body came back. I grieved again and again for Konoka, and still it did not help. Each death brought only a sliver of relief, then I was brought back to life in that empty hell of a place." Setsuna stood abruptly and slammed her palm on the table, making Konoka jump and let out a small gasp. Her eyes were boring holes into Evangeline. "What happened to me?! Why am I alive?! I want the truth Evangeline! Tell me. Now!" As she finished her shouting, Konoka could see that Setsuna was breathing heavily, still trembling with rage. Her heart longed to embrace her friend, to comfort her, and tell her that she would be okay. She moved to put a hand on Setsuna, but Evangeline's voice stopped her.

"You want to know what happened to you? Very well, but knowing will not change what has already happened. And if I tell you, there is no stopping the chain of events that are to follow. You must be ready to accept the truth and commit yourself to it." This time Evangeline stood, as graceful and powerful as ever. "Are you ready to accept this fate? Or would you rather live on in blissful ignorance? For there is no going back. This is the point of no return!"

She extended a palm in a pointing motion to Setsuna. "Now, what it your answer?" A heavy silence permeated the room. The two girls shouting at each other had Konoka quivering in confusion. Eva's words were spinning in her head, none of them making sense. She turned her head to look at Setsuna. Her gaze was determined, and she spoke without fear.

"There was never any going back."

At that Evangeline smiled wickedly. "Exactly the answer I was looking for. I'll tell you, but not here. Come, we must go." She left the room without as much as a glance backwards.

Konoka looked to Setsuna who was slightly wide-eyed, staring at the door Evangeline had left through. She recovered quickly. "Come on, we'd better go with her." Then her expression softened as she extended her hand towards Konoka. "It wouldn't be wise to anger the Dark Evangel, right Kono-chan?" The warmth in Setsuna's expressions had returned, and that made Konoka happy enough to jump out of her seat. She almost did as she grabbed the girl's hand. Together they walked out of the room and saw Evangeline at the end of the hall, entering the resort room again. Konoka was a little confused, but Setsuna didn't miss a beat, following as if it wasn't strange that they were headed back to the resort. _I don't get what's going on, but if Secchan does, then I'll trust her._

The two girls entered the room to the resort and found Evangeline with one hand on the sphere containing the original tower. A white light was encircling her feet. Her free hand was extended to the two girls, a sly grin gracing her face. "You need to hold my hand, unless you want to end up naked again."

Konoka could see Setsuna's blush out of the corner of her eye. The swordswoman gave a loud '_tsk_' then grabbed hold of the vampire's hand hard. Evangeline sneered a little, but the smile never left her face. "Now, let's go!"

White light appeared underneath Konoka and Setsuna's feet and a moment later they were gone.

* * *

Once they had appeared on the stone platform of the resort Setsuna let go of Evangeline's hand, but kept hold of Konoka's. She wasn't about to let something get Konoka this time. _I have to be extra alert, even if Evangeline is here._

As if the small vampiress could read her mind she said, "Don't worry Setsuna. This sphere is always kept free of vermin. Nothing can harm your precious _ojousama_ here." She cocked her head slightly. "Well, except me that is." Setsuna just raised an eyebrow at the girl, calling Evangeline's bluff. Evangeline sniffed and turned to walk down the long bridge to the main tower. "You're no fun at all Setsuna."

The two girls followed Evangeline hand in hand in relative silence. When they reached the covered area that Setsuna remembered Negi taking her and Konoka—as well as a bunch of the other girls in 3A—to before the magical world trip, Evangeline reclined in a padded chair that rather resembled a throne, motioning the two girls to join her on less impressive seats facing hers. Konoka flopped down, obviously enjoying the padding in her overenthusiastic way. Setsuna seated herself slowly but didn't recline. She needed to be alert, regardless of what Evangeline said.

"Nice weather today, no?" Evangeline was staring off into the distance, with one hand raised longingly towards the sky. Setsuna gave no response. Konoka didn't make a sound either. Evangeline let her arm fall with a sigh and placed her hands on the arms of the throne-like chair. She didn't bother to sit up though, Setsuna noticed. As she spoke, her tone changed from listless to serious instantaneously.

"I won't stall any longer. You want the truth? Here it is. Both of you died in the beach resort, that is true. As I said before, even though the _real_ Mage of the Beginning is somewhere else, Negi had me construct a pseudo-homolog that would be like the real thing. In order to defeat the real Mage of the Beginning to free Nagi, Negi must train against what he will face when that time comes. That means, the Mage of the Beginning you faced had all the power the real one has—assuming of course that his power is actually a corrupted version of Nagi's own power... The details aren't important. What is important is what happened after you died." Evangeline shifted in her seat to find a more comfortable position, then continued.

"The blackness, the emptiness, the cold space you both inhabited for a time… it has a name. A name that you both know." At this Evangeline leaned forward, eyes narrowing on Setsuna. "Can you guess it Setsuna? No? The void you both were in was nothing other than Cosmo Entelecheia itself."

Setsuna heard Konoka gasp. She could hardly believe it herself. _That can't be right…_ _Cosmo Entelecheia is supposed to be a wonderful garden of tranquility and peace, isn't it?_ A smirk played across Evangeline's face.

"I know what you're thinking Setsuna. And you're right, Cosmo Entelecheia shouldn't have been like that. Usually it manifests itself as an Eden of perfection where the dearly departed live on through the ages. However, it can change, as it did with you two."

At this Konoka broke out stammering, the confusion evident on her face. "Eva-chan? I don't really get it. Manifests itself? Changing? Isn't Cosmo Entelecheia just a place created by Fate and the Mage of the Beginning?" Setsuna was surprised at how quick Konoka was to question what she was told. Her usual innocent acquiescence had been diminished somehow. Setsuna looked back at Evangeline.

"Ah, very astute observation Konoka. Yes, the realm was created by the Mage of the Beginning with the Great Grand Master Key. But just because he created it, does not mean that he can control it. The simple truth is that Cosmo Entelecheia is alive! Alive through the power of the Great Grand Master Key. From the moment of its creation, it has molded and changed, unaffected by anything any mage does. I doubt even the Great Grand Master Key—the source of its initial magical power—could control it now. Here's the key though, Cosmo Entelecheia changes according to the needs of the individual entering it at the time of their death. For some, the greatest need is indeed a tranquil, endless existence of peace. For others, it is a training ground, or a penitentiary, or even… an empty, dream-filled void." At this, Evangeline's eyes rested on Setsuna's face with a look of supreme self-satisfaction, as if she knew exactly what Setsuna had gone through in Cosmo Entelecheia. _Well, she's certainly not wrong with that guess._ Simply knowing what the void was wasn't enough for Setsuna however.

"But why Evangeline? Why send us to the void? Why make me live through those memories over and over again? Why did I die over and over again? What purpose could that possibly serve?" Her tone most likely came off over-agitated but she needed answers. Evangeline looked past her, seeing something beyond either of the two girls facing her. When she spoke, her voice sounded far off.

"Distilling. That's what the process is called. Those who go to the void are in need of soul purification. Not in the way that you might think. It is not a purification to erase wickedness, but rather to concentrate the emotions most important to the person upon his death. Cosmo Entelecheia knows when a soul comes to it in need of distilling and works on it until the very essence of who that person is is forever altered. The soul and mind become new, re-invigorated, and forever changed. Then the soul is released back into the body where it is given another chance at life. That is the true power of Cosmo Entelecheia, and _that_ is what truly happened to you both."

Setsuna was stunned. Her throat felt dry and she was having a hard time breathing. Thoughts were twisting and whirling in her head. _So we did die? And our souls were distilled? And then brought back to life? Is that even possible? What does it all mean?_ Evangeline spoke up again.

"I'll tell you one more thing. I cannot tell you what was distilled, only that it has been. You both must figure that out for yourselves. Are you ready for that challenge? To find out the new you?" Evangeline had raised an eyebrow in question.

Setsuna responded quickly. "Like we have a choice." Her thoughts were consumed with trying to find the answers to her questions buried in what Evangeline had said. While she was thinking, she heard Konoka speak up.

"Eva-chan, can I ask you something?" Evangeline nodded slightly for her to continue. "How… how do you know all of this?"

Setsuna looked at Konoka. She had never thought to ask that. Evangeline sure seemed to know a lot about it. The girl in question stood from her chair and walked to the balcony of the tower overlooking the water. As she leaned against the railing a soft breeze stirred and blew her blonde hair about beautifully. After a long moment she turned her head to look at them over her shoulder.

"Because I was distilled."

End Chapter 11.

* * *

Author's Note: And that ladies and gentlemen, is chapter 11! I hope you liked it! I'm sorry to those of you who were bored by this chapter. I felt like I needed to explain what had been going on. If you're still confused, there is a little more explanation coming in the next chapter, don't worry. However, there will be more of a return to the romantic theme in not too long, so for those of you who only read Barriers for Setsuna's constant blushing: please stay tuned.

Thank you for your continued support! As always, please contact me through review or PM if you're interested in talking. I make an effort to respond to all of my mail, so if you take the time to talk to me, I'll return the favor! Thank you as always, and in the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12.

"What did you say?" Setsuna couldn't believe what she had heard.

"I said, I was distilled." Evangeline sighed deeply and turned around to face them, leaning back against the balcony railing. "Back when I was still the Dark Evangel—before Nagi trapped me in this cursed body—I was truly evil. So evil, in fact, that I would have killed you both the first day I met you, had you looked at me funny. There was nowhere I could not go; nothing I could not do. The world was my plaything, the inhabitants my puppets, dancing for my glory while I pulled the strings. This world _and_ Mundus Magicus were held slave to my whim. Everyone knew my name, and none dared speak it. That was the legacy of the Dark Evangel. At least, until that brat's father showed up."

Setsuna felt uneasy. She always knew that Evangeline was evil—or at least she called herself evil—but this… It was almost unbelievable! _If this is really true, then maybe she wasn't kidding about what she said on the bridge… I shouldn't let her get close to Konoka anymore._ Setsuna got up from her chair in haste and shielded Konoka with her body, setting herself for battle. Evangeline only smirked.

"Don't bother Setsuna. If I had wanted to kill her—or you for that matter—I would have done it by now. Now sit back down, you foolish girl." Setsuna took a moment to think before realizing that Evangeline was right. _A good thing too. I'm not sure I would have been able to stop her if she tried._ Embarrassed by her foolishness, she bowed to the vampiress.

"I'm sorry Evangeline-san, please continue," she said as she returned to her seat. Waiving off the apology, Evangeline continued.

"Nagi Springfield was an interesting man. I knew him well." _Maybe too well_, she thought to herself. "Early on we were something between enemies and friends. I would commit crimes and he would try and stop me. His power almost rivaled mine, but I always found a way to win against him. Until he decided that he wanted to change who I was, instead of just defeating me. He wanted to make me a better person. He spent years trying, and failing. He was delusional—someone born of darkness can never be comfortable in the light—but he never gave up trying. Years passed, and finally I gave him an ultimatum: stop pursuing me and trying to change me, or fight and die." _Like I could ever kill that man_, Evangeline thought to herself_. Still, I don't need to be too honest with them_.

Konoka was almost on the edge of her seat. "What'd he say Eva-chan?"

"Nothing. He met me face to face in battle. Twelve days we fought. Our battle covered countless kilometers of ground, leaving nothing but glorious destruction in our wake. Blow for blow we matched each other's strength. Each of us gave it our all, but we were locked in a stalemate. On the thirteenth day he had retreated to some remote beach on the Elysium peninsula of Mundus Magicus."

"When I chased him there, he had laid a trap for me. I was careless and fell right into his grasp. He had captured me there in the sand, but instead of harming me, he just spoke to me. He said…" Evangeline struggled to divulge the words he had said. Her past certainly didn't come back friendly. "He said 'why don't you try to live in the light for a change.' Then he chanted two incantations back to back. The first was the _Infernus Scholasticus_, which changed me into the form you see now and locked me to Mahora Academy. The second, a spell never used before or since. _Anima_ _Conflans_—which means 'soul refining.' As soon as he finished the incantation, a dark shadow passed over his face and he spoke a few last words before killing me." Evangeline's features turned icy cold.

"Those words have never left me. 'May the light distill you.' Then everything went black and I had an experience very similar to yours, Setsuna. The memories, the darkness, the cycles of dying. All of it. When I finally did wake up, I was already at Mahora. Nagi was dead, and everything that I had known was gone." By the end of the story Evangeline was staring off into the distance beyond the two girls.

Setsuna was trying to take it all in. She knew Nagi was powerful: everything Negi and the others had said always painted him the ultimate hero—the knight in shining armor. But to have trapped Evangeline? She had grossly underestimated his power. Still, she was somewhat relieved that Konoka and she weren't the only ones _distilled_, but she wasn't sure how much of a comfort that was, considering Evangeline was still the way she was even _after_ the fact.

Apparently, Konoka was wondering the same thing too. "But Eva-chan, you don't seem that much different… Did it actually change you?"

At this, Evangeline scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous. Nagi tried using _Anima Conflans_ as a spell, without the power of the Great Grand Master Key, to create the link between Mundus Magicus and Cosmo Entelecheia. That meant the power of the distilling process was far weaker than what you two went through. It barely touched me. It certainly didn't change me." For some reason, Setsuna was disinclined to believe that. Evangeline _was_ evil, no doubt about it, but not like what she described earlier.

Evangeline continued. "Unlike me, the both of you died here in the resort. Being a magical construct, the real location of this resort lies somewhere between the real world and Cosmo Entelecheia. That means that when you two died and your souls left your bodies, the souls could be easily transported to Cosmo Entelecheia. And once Cosmo Entelecheia had finished with you both, it could transport your souls, as well as your healed bodies, back to the real world."

Setsuna was having an increasingly hard time understanding. "Evangeline, you said our souls were transported… Transported by whom exactly?"

The swordswoman received little more than flat stare. "I don't know. It is possible that the very fabric of Cosmo Entelecheia can stretch into other worlds and pull souls into it. It may even be able to move bodies around between worlds. There is more mystery in that place than anyone has dared to investigate. What I do know is that those who are distilled are done so purposefully." Evangeline walked back down to her throne-seat, sitting deliberately. "Now that we have discussed that, do you have any more questions, girls?"

Setsuna looked at Konoka who was concentrating rather intently on the floor. There were, in fact, some things she was still confused about. "So what about the cavern Konoka and I fell into? Why was that there? And why was it all...backwards?"

Evangeline gave Setsuna a curious look before her eyes brightened in recollection. "Ah! You mean the one under the Rock Guardian? I made that a long time ago. By accident really. When I was still toying with the details of the resort's construction I tried to create an inverted space: a cavern where gravity pulled _up_, not down. The experiment was successful, but once I had created it, I couldn't deconstruct it for fear of the entire space collapsing. So I left it. I take it you two found the slide I created to get out of that cavern?" She paused for a second allowing for a nod from both girls. "That's one of the connections between the two fields of gravity, the other one being the hole beneath the pool in the middle of the island." The explanation satisfied Setsuna who leaned back in her chair, processing all that she had heard. _There's no doubt about it, Evangeline is one interesting person._

Konoka still seemed worried over something. "So why were our clothes gone?" Setsuna had nearly forgotten about that. In comparison to other events it seemed trivial, but at the time it sure wasn't. She was likewise interested to hear Evangeline's explanation. She was even more curious when she noticed Evangeline squirming in her seat, a flush suffusing her cheeks. Hesitantly she sputtered out an answer.

"That's—well… It's none of your concern. I had my reasons for that change, and those reasons are personal. I apologize that you lost your clothes, but that's all I'm saying about it!" The small blonde had put her foot down, literally as well as figuratively.

While Setsuna knew not to toy with the evil vampiress, Konoka either did not, or just didn't care. "So, if you set it up that way, and the one who comes here most often now is Negi…" To anyone other than Setsuna, Konoka's demeanor would suggest innocent curiosity, but to her it spoke of playful manipulation. She didn't have to complete her thought before Evangeline burst out of her chair. Crystals of ice materialized from thin air around her feet as she landed on the now frozen stone floor. Her hands were glowing with a dark blue magical aura. The evil look was back in her eye.

"What did you say?!"

The demand elicited a high pitched "KYAA!" from Konoka who bounded up off her chair and began running around the open seating area, laughing and screaming. Evangeline was close on her tail, shouting "I'll get you for that!" and sending small blasts of snow in her direction, never coming too close to hitting her. As Setsuna merely watched the two girls play, she couldn't help but giggle. _Who'd have thought those two would get along so well?_

End Chapter 12.

* * *

Author's Note: And viola! Chapter 12. This is basically a wrap up of the explanation and more groundwork for the upcoming chapters/arcs. Hopefully you weren't too bored with all the talking. i just realized the two main characters haven't kissed in a while... Maybe I should work on that! Haha.

Also, I'd love to talk to you, the readers, through either reviews or PMing. But if you're going to post a review as a guest you should definitely think about making an account! They're free and it takes very little time. That way, I can talk with you! (Yes, I'm talking to you Yuki...).

Anyway, thanks for your continued support. In the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13.

There was a soft breeze and a pleasant scent on the path: the smell of pine on the stirring wind. It reminded Setsuna of her time training in the mountains above Kyoto, and all those hours strengthening and meditating in the silent forest. It was a pleasant memory. She sighed as she roused herself out of her daydream.

After Evangeline had told them everything they wanted to know, the three left the resort. Normally that would have been impossible before a full day had passed inside the magical glass sphere, but Evangeline had concocted a special potion to cut the length of one's stay for just such an occasion, where the resort was needed for only a short time. At the front door of the cottage the two girls had thanked the vampiress for her hospitality, and after donning their shoes and socks, started back towards the dormitories.

The path Setsuna and Konoka now took to get back to their rooms led them through stands of cherry trees. Daytime in the spring was the best time for viewing cherry trees and their annual blossoms, but autumn nights weren't a bad time to admire them either. There was certainly enough time for appreciating the scenery, since neither girl felt much like talking. That didn't bother Setsuna though. The significance of what had happened was just starting to sink in, and she felt like she needed time to sort things out.

She walked to Konoka's right, paying only partial attention to the brick footpath in front of her. Despite the pain it caused her, she played back the events after arriving in the resort in her mind. _Being distilled__…__ _She still couldn't figure out why it had happened to her, or even what it was that had changed. Evangeline's words rung loudly in her head: "until the very essence of who that person is, is forever altered." _Altered? How? I don't feel any different_…_ _Scowling, she reached up and rubbed at her temples in pain. _Except for this headache that won't seem to go away._

"Oh, Secchan! Are you okay? Does your head hurt?" Konoka's voice was full of worry. Setsuna looked at her from under the hand on her brow. The chocolate-haired girl had one hand covering her mouth in a worried expression and the other hand raised to offer assistance. She looked sweet, the concern in her eyes somehow making them sparkle even more than usual.

"It's okay Kono-chan, it's nothing to worry about. Just a slight headache. It'll be gone soon enough." She tried to assuage the girl's concern, but to no avail.

"Oh no! Come here and I can heal you! Your headache will be gone in no time!" The chocolate-haired youth set herself and extended her hands to her sides. "ADEAT!" With a puff of smoke Konoka's outfit changed from her school uniform to a traditional-style onmyoji uniform. Two fans appeared in her outstretched hands. _Flabellum Euri _and _Flabellum Australe_: the fans of the Northern and Southern winds. They were as beautiful as ever. Each reflected and amplified the moonlight, _Euri_ glowing a beautiful violet, _Australe_ a fierce yellow. Every time Konoka brought out her fans, Setsuna was struck by the inherent beauty of her artifact. _Surely their beauty reflects the beauty in her soul. It's a far cry from my Sica Shishikushiro or even Takemikazuchi._

Konoka closed the distance between them and raised _Flabellum __Australe_ to Setsuna's head, placing the open blade of the fan on her forehead. Konoka closed her eyes and Setsuna saw a white magical aura appear around her, making Konoka's chocolate-colored hair float with the magical energy. Setsuna couldn't take her eyes off the chocolate-haired healer while she incanted the healing spell. "O great wind of the South, breathe thy healing power upon my patient and render her free of malady. _Morbis dissipo!_"

As soon as the spell's keywords left Konoka's lips, a bright yellow light shone on Setsuna's forehead. She could feel a tingling sensation where the fan blade was touching her skin. Magic that was simultaneously warm and cool flowed into her. Instantly her headache vanished. In its place a transcendent peace filled her mind. Much to Setsuna's disappointment, the feeling ended as Konoka lowered her fan.

"How do you feel now Secchan? All better?" Setsuna knew the girl knew full well that her healing never failed. She decided to indulge her anyway.

"Yes, all better Kono-chan." Setsuna gave the young healer a wink and a quick kiss on the cheek. "Now, we should probably hurry back to our rooms before we both catch colds." Konoka nodded, smiling brightly. With a quick "Abeat," she stowed her artifact and grabbed Setsuna's hand. The two ran the remaining distance to the middle school dormitory hand in hand.

* * *

They arrived at Setsuna's room first, and after a quick goodbye and a warm embrace, Setsuna opened the door to head to bed. She removed her shoes and set them by the door, then headed to her bunk. She could see the outline of her roommate, Nagase Kaede, under the covers of the upper bunk. _I better take care not to wake her_, Setsuna thought.

She wearily doffed her school uniform, remembering to put on new panties in addition to her pajamas. Mentally and emotionally exhausted from the long day, she flopped onto her bunk. Much to her surprise and discomfort, she landed on something hard.

"AH! OUCH…!"

The object had hit her square in the back, just above the butt. She reached behind her and felt around for the offending object. As her hand found it, she became immediately confused. _What? A sword? But I always put…_ Her eyes travelled over to Yunagi, resting on its stand at the head of her bed. In disbelief she pulled the new sword out from behind her. When she saw it she did a double take. It looked for all the world like Yunagi, but the hilt was white as snow. Apprehensively, she pulled the blade from its sheath. Pure black steel shimmered in the moonlight streaming through the window. Her heart skipped a beat and she felt a cold sweat break on her forehead. Her voice was hoarse as she spoke. "Impossible! It has to be!"

"What's all the racket about? And what's impossible?" Setsuna's commotion had apparently awoken Kaede, who was hanging off her bunk to look at her upside down.

"Ah, Kaede-san, where did this sword come from?" Setsuna asked with a hint of worry in her voice.

Kaede furrowed her brow in confusion. "You mean it's not yours, Setsuna-dono? When I came home this evening it was standing on the windowsill, leaning against the window. I figured you had bought it and I didn't want it falling out the window, so I put it on your bunk. You're telling me it's not yours?"

"No. And I'm getting a bad feeling about it." Setsuna eyed the sheathed blade warily. Something felt off about the sword. In the soft moonlight she could barely make out scrawling black print on the white hilt. Squinting, she read the inscription aloud.

"_Mitis Sicarius."_

For a minute she thought she heard whispers inside her head, but decided she was just imagining things. The inscription must be Latin, but she didn't know what it meant. She looked at Kaede, who was just as confused. _Not really a surprise from the Baka Blue Ranger. Hopefully Negi will be around school tomorrow, he will know what it means._

She set the sword next to Yunagi and quickly placed a mid-level demonic seal on the sword—just in case. "There. That should be sufficient until I can figure out where it came from." Setsuna looked to Kaede once more, who had crawled back upright in her bed. The ninja girl had a grave look on her face, her squinty fox-eyes enhancing the look of concern.

"I will be on guard tonight Setsuna-dono. Something strange is occurring." With that she gave Setsuna a slight nod of the head as a goodnight and laid back down on her bed.

Setsuna agreed with her that something was strange, but she didn't know what. After a moment of silent thought she figured she should head to bed as well. _No use in worrying too much now. I'll deal with it in the morning._ She reclined, this time without incident, and soon fell into a light, troubled sleep. The whispering returned, and it wasn't her imagination this time.

* * *

Rousing from a night of half-sleep, Setsuna could feel a splitting pain in her head. The whispering had invaded her dreams, getting steadily louder throughout the early hours of the morning. They, mixed with the recurrence of her headache, made for little restful sleep. It didn't help that Kaede woke extremely early and shuffled around the room some before taking off. She didn't make much noise, but the little she did only compounded Setsuna's restlessness.

Before long, morning came and Setsuna knew she had to start getting up. She ate a small breakfast and brushed her teeth. Clothes and hair were next. While she never made much of an effort to look pretty, there were still things to do. When she finished getting ready she looked at the clock. It read 7:30; a whole hour before she needed to be in class. Obviously she had miscalculated how early it was. With her normal morning ritual complete, and time to spare, she headed over to grab Yunagi, hoping to get in some practice before class.

But Yunagi wasn't on its stand. In its place stood the foreign, white handled blade. Yunagi was nowhere to be found. Uneasily, she searched the room for her sword and found it under her bed, tossed back against the wall. Dumbstruck, she thought of the only explanation that could make sense. _It must have been Kaede playing a trick on me_._ That must have been what she was doing up so early._ Setsuna chuckled to herself for being foolish enough to think that the swords had moved by themselves. She reached under the bed and grabbed hold of Yunagi. Straightening, she slung the string attached to the sheath around her body so the hilt jutted up behind her left shoulder. _Ah, now this feels right_, she thought.

She crossed the small dorm room and slipped into her shoes. With one last glance at the strange new blade, she left the room and headed for Tatsumiya shrine.

* * *

Setsuna arrived at the expansive grounds of the shrine more than a little irritated. Her head still hurt, and the strange whispering she had been hearing that night started up again less than halfway to the shrine and hadn't let up. She still couldn't make out what the voice was saying, but she could tell it was a man's voice. It was airy, but carried a gravity that was unmistakable. As she walked, she thought she heard the voice say "_Pull, girl_" but she figured it was only her imagination putting words to the mystery.

As she stepped through the gates of Tatsumiya shrine, a wave of relief came over her as the voice quieted. The pain in her head also subsided. Setsuna chalked it up to the sacred quality of the ground she had entered. Relieved that she would at least get a few minutes of relief, she headed down the covered walkway to the deck area in the middle of the shrine.

It was empty at the shrine this early in the morning, which suited Setsuna quite nicely. She didn't like people watching her practice. _Well, except for Konoka that is_. She blushed slightly and laughed to herself. She found her mood was significantly improved by the time she walked out onto the large deck.

Being on the deck always brought back memories of the tournament during the festival that Negi, Asuna, and she had taken part in. That was the first time she really got to see Asuna's power first hand. Negi's as well. _Those memories feel so far away now, after everything that's happened_, she thought. _Still it's nice to reminisce._ Then a voice broke her out of her reverie.

"It's not like you to look off into the sky this early in the morning Setsuna." Setsuna spun around to find a familiar face.

As guardian of the family shrine, Tatsumiya Mana was dressed in a priestess's robe befitting her duties. She held a serene grace about her that somehow masked a terrifying battle spirit. There was some measure of gentleness to her, but Setsuna always assumed Mana was carved out of stone at birth.

"Oh it's you Mana. Good morning." Setsuna bowed a greeting which the tall, dark skinned girl returned.

With a small smile Mana asked, "You here to work out a few kinks? You look like you could use another night's sleep." Much to Setsuna's chagrin, Mana never missed things like that. As a sniper she had a sharp eye, and a quick intuition. Swinging her shoulder to loosen it she replied.

"Something like that. I brought Yunagi along to practice my form on the _ken_ techniques." She nodded over her shoulder to her sword. Mana's glassy look never faltered, but Setsuna could tell the sniper was confused.

"Did you feel like a change of pace?"

Now it was Setsuna who was confused. She raised an eyebrow at her dark skinned friend. "No… You know I always come here to train…" Setsuna didn't know how Mana could forget that.

"That's not what I mean. I find it rather odd that after all this time you decide to change the wrapping."

Now Setsuna had no idea what Mana was talking about. She was beginning to feel concerned for her friend. "Wrapping? Mana, do you feel alright? I think you might need to lie down…"

Confusion turned to mild frustration on the priestess's face. "What? I think _you're_ the one that's not right. Why won't you answer my question?"

"What?" Setsuna replied, also getting tense. "What are you taking about?"

"Your sword, dummy! The hilt's white!"

Setsuna froze where she stood. The words rang through her head a second time. _The hilt's white_… That could only mean one thing. Slowly, she reached over her shoulder with her right hand. The moment she grasped the hilt she heard the voice in her head shout.

"_Pull, girl! Pull me out!"_

She drew the sword from its sheath. Instantly she could tell it wasn't Yunagi she held in her hand. Her heart froze as the black blade of _Mitis Sicarius_ glinted in the morning sun. "No… It can't be…" she whispered.

"Setsuna, are you feeling alright?" Mana chimed in with a hint of worry in her strong voice.

Thoughts were spinning in Setsuna's mind. She _knew_ she had put Yunagi on her back this morning. She had _seen_ the black blade on the sword stand as she left. But now it was here, where Yunagi was supposed to be. Confusion and worry turned to anger and horror as the blade fell from her hand. It clanked against the hardwood of the deck harmlessly.

Setsuna just looked at the blade until she realized her headache had returned in full force. The pain in her head was so intense, it brought her to one knee. She wondered if something had injured her. She moved a hand to her head to massage her temples, hoping that would alleviate the pain. It helped, but only slightly.

"_Foolish girl. Refusing the medicine that heals._"

Setsuna could now hear the voice clearly. Amazed and terrified she whispered. "The sword?"

"_Yes. The sword. Are you surprised?_" the voice asked. Setsuna only stared, awestruck and frightened. "_Now, now, girl. That pain in your head is pretty bad, is it not? I can fix that, if you pick me up._" Setsuna didn't move. She didn't know what was going on. Nothing in the Shinmeiryuu teachings said that weapons could talk. Each weapon did have a sort of spirit, or individual character imbued in the steel, but certainly not a _real_ spirit. "_Yes, it is rather odd isn't it? Yet here I am. Oh, and before you scream: yes, I can hear your thoughts, just as you hear mine._"

All of the blood drained from Setsuna's face. Things had gone from bad to worse. Not only was this abomination in her mind, it had the ability to read her thoughts. "_Oh an _abomination_ am I? Such a foolish girl. Just pick me up before _I_ get a headache._" For a moment, Setsuna wondered how a sword could have a headache. Then, shaking herself to make sure this was real, she thought the situation through.

_What's going on? I don't understand this. I'm sure I picked Yunagi up this morning, but… What am I supposed to do with it now? If it can move—and talk—then how am I supposed to get rid of it._ As she thought that, she paused to see if there would be any response from the voice. There was none._ Well… I have to deal with it at some point. I very well can't leave it on the deck._ She leaned down and grasped the sword hilt with her right hand. Instantly, everything went dark.

End Chapter 13.

* * *

Author's Note: Thanks for being patient with this chapter. Hope you had fun reading this chapter! Chapter 14 is now up! Thanks for reading, and in the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14.

Setsuna heard mumbling. It sounded far off. She didn't really care though. She was dreaming of Konoka. The two of them had found their way to some sort of old building named Hinata Inn. It was apparently an all girl's dormitory, but it had a natural hot springs that was open to the public and they were relaxing there in the hot water. They were having so much fun, Setsuna never wanted it to end. She was watching Konoka play with a strange bronze statue that spouted water. She watched as the water from the statue cascaded down her body, making her perfect skin glisten in the soft moonlight. There was no match for her beauty.

Suddenly Konoka saw her and ran over. She grabbed ahold of Setsuna's hand and said, "Setsuna-san, wake up." The world around them shifted in the way dreams do right before waking.

"But I'm already awake Kono-chan."

Suddenly Konoka's voice didn't sound like her own. It sounded smaller, squeakier. "Wake up, Setsuna-san. Wake up!"

Pieces of the world around them started to fall apart, the sky breaking like shards of glass against the ground. Setsuna tried to protect Konoka from the falling pieces, but before she could, she saw one headed straight at herself. She was helpless to stop it as she watched it approach. It came hurtling towards her, aimed straight at her eye. Closer, closer.

The shard of glass impacted.

And Setsuna jumped awake in her bed. Her heart was beating fast, and she was covered in a cold sweat. She looked around to see that she was in the nurse's room at Mahora. She could tell by the plaster-white walls and the coarse, starched linen of the cot she was on.

"Thank goodness you're awake Setsuna-san!" She now realized why Konoka had been talking and sounding funny in her dream. Negi Springfield was sitting at her bedside, dressed in his favorite green suit. He gave her one of his big, ridiculous smiles—the kind of smile that could only belong to an untainted youth. She noticed he was holding a damp towel in his hand.

"Negi-sensei, were you taking care of me?" she asked.

He seemed flustered, waving his hands around in a comical way. "Ah. No— I mean yes! But it's no problem!" He calmed down and explained. "I was eating breakfast with Asuna when I got a call from Tatsumiya-san. She said you had collapsed and she brought you here to the infirmary. She said she had to go to class, and asked if I'd look after you. Apparently she didn't want to get in trouble with Fate-san."

Setsuna looked at Negi, with his reading spectacles and his messy hair. He really was quite a sight. A lot of the girls in 3-A had fallen for him, but Setsuna never really understood it. He looked so young… But she knew he was strong beyond his years. "So I collapsed?"

"Apparently so. She didn't say much else, except that you were acting really weird just before you lost consciousness."

That triggered her memory like lightning striking a flagpole. "Of course! The sword, where is it?"

Negi just blinked at her for a moment before what she was asking for clicked in his mind. "Ah! You mean this?" He reached behind his chair and grabbed the white handled blade. Setting it on his lap he said, "Tatsumiya-san mentioned you had your sword on you."

Setsuna set him with a level stare. "That's not my sword."

Now Negi looked extremely confused. "Come again?"

She extended a pointed finger at the blade. "I said, that _thing_ is not my sword." The child teacher looked extremely perplexed. With a small sigh she asked, "Do you remember my sword's name Negi-sensei?"

He became flustered again and Setsuna could see the gears turn in his head as he wracked is brain for the answer. He had many things to remember for a ten year old; she didn't really expect him to remember. "Well—ah… Something like Yujiro? Yotari? …Yukata? No… That's a kimono…" He was concentrating to the point of almost exploding.

"It's Yunagi." She paused for a moment to let him settle again—he was so excitable. "On the hilt of that blade you're holding there is an inscription. Read it."

Negi looked down at the sword and brought the hilt up to read it. "_Mitis Sicarius._ Then this really isn't your sword." She had hoped he would give a translation without asking, but she was in no such luck.

"What does it mean Sensei? The Latin?"

Negi thought for a moment. He knew a lot of things, but recalling obscure vocabulary from a dead language to mind took time. "What does that mean…? Ah yes: _Mitis Sicarius_ translates to Gentle Assassin."

Setsuna's heart dropped to her stomach. She instantly felt rather sick, and her pulse skipped a beat. Her eyes glossed over as she remembered something from deep in her past. Quietly she whispered to herself. "Gentle Assassin? Could it be? _The one who kills with a soft blow_…"

Her whispering was so soft Negi barely heard it. "What was that, Setsuna-san?"

His voice brought her back to reality. "Oh, it's part of a saying—or rather, a prophecy—of the Shinmeiryuu teachings. _We wait for the one who kills with a soft blow, for he shall bring about an end to fighting_. It's one of the only prophecies the Shinmeiryuu tradition has, and it is without a doubt the most anticipated." She hadn't thought about the prophecy in ages, certainly not since Negi's arrival.

For his part, Negi was confused. "An end to fighting? Isn't that what the Shinmeiryuu do though? Fight, for a living?"

Setsuna smirked. She didn't expect him to understand. "It might seem that way, but really, our abilities to fight and destroy evil is just a benefit of our sword training, not the end goal." She could see he still didn't get it, so she continued to explain. "The reason behind our long hours of practice and training isn't to slay evil spirits. In the end, it is a tool to bring our bodies closer to our true self, our spirit. The oneness gained by a lifetime of training with the sword allows for a transcendence of the very being of a person, in theory. Our true goal is to attain the ultimate nirvana, if you will."

Negi started to piece things together as he held up the sword. "And you think this sword is the answer to attaining that?"

"I don't know. I was never very good at understanding the prophesies." That was an understatement. She had memorized all of the Shinmeiryuu teachings like any other student of the discipline, but the prophesies never meant much to her. She had a hard time connecting them and their obscure meanings to her duty. "But I'm sure it's connected in some way."

"What makes you say that?" Negi asked.

"A sword named Gentle Assassin appears one day and attaches itself to a Shinmeiryuu swordswoman? It has to be connected. And I know it's tied to me. This morning I went to practice my techniques at the shrine, and that blade you're holding switched places with my Yunagi, without me noticing."

Negi's eyes widened at the statement. "So this blade actually swapped places with another sword? Curious…" Setsuna could see that Negi was thinking of something. "I wonder…"

"What is it Sensei?"

Negi looked like he was trying to remember something he hadn't thought about in years. "It reminded me of something I came across in my studies at magical school. There's a phenomenon that was observed hundreds of years ago: everyday objects moving, talking, acting human. The scholars and mages studying it called it 'Animate Anthropomorphism.' Eventually they figured out the source of the phenomenon." He leaned forward in his chair, bringing his voice low, to a near whisper. "They concluded that if something was imbued with enough magical power during its creation, it could become animate."

With a soft laugh he leaned back and gave a wave of his hand in dismissal. "Of course, no one could ever replicate the phenomenon with anything bigger than a coin—the sheer magnitude of magical energy it would take to make even one animate object of any consequence would have drained any mage foolish enough to try. Additionally, after a brief period of maybe ten years, there were no more recorded instances, so it largely fell out of study."

Setsuna felt a tightness in her chest as what Negi said sank in. _Then there can only be one explanation for where this sword came from…_ She needed to ask him if it was possible. "Negi—"

She was interrupted by a knock at the door. It opened, revealing Minamoto Shizuna, Mahora's guidance counselor and nurse. "Pardon me. Negi, the headmaster asked me to get you. He would like to see you in his office, immediately." She gave a small smile to Setsuna, her eyes twinkling behind her glasses. "Sakurazaki-san, it is good to know that you're awake. I'll come back to check on you after I fetch some of the other teachers." With that she left, closing the door behind her.

Negi sighed heavily and stood, stretching his arms. "Duty calls." He placed the sword next to her on the bed and moved towards the door saying, "I'll check up on you too, after I see what the headmaster wants." He reached for the doorknob.

"Negi, wait!"

He turned back to her with a questioning look. "Yes, Setsuna-san? What is it?" Setsuna shifted uncomfortably in her hospital cot.

"I wanted to ask you, would there be…" she braced herself for the question, "would there be enough power to create an animate sword stored in the Great Grand Master Key?"

Negi's eyes blinked behind his glasses. "Hmm… I would say so," he nodded his head, "definitely."

Setsuna could feel the blood drain from her face. _So it's true then_. "Negi… I think your father gave me this sword."

The young wizard's jaw nearly hit the floor. Shock and confusion painted his face. He recovered slowly. "I—I have to go to my meeting. Setsuna-san, I'll be back as soon as I am done with the headmaster, I promise." She gave him a slight nod and he left the room.

Alone, she stared at the sword next to her. Her head hurt, but not as badly as before. Just a minor throbbing really. And the whispering was gone. Not wanting to touch it, she turned over on her side, away from the blade and shut her eyes, hoping to get some much needed sleep. In her state of exhaustion, it was not hard to drift into a light slumber, even with her thoughts bouncing between the object behind her, and the girl she imagined snuggling in front of her.

* * *

Negi nearly sprinted down the hallways toward the headmaster's office, classroom doors passing left and right. He couldn't get what Setsuna had said out of his head. _How is that possible? I don't even know where he is yet, since he vanished from Mundus Magicus. How could she find him? Or is it he that found her? What does this mean? Something must have happened that I don't know about._

Eventually the classrooms gave way to offices as Negi passed into the administration wing. At the end of the hallway he came to large double doors that marked the entrance to the Headmaster's office. He swung one the heavy doors open and was greeted by a solemn mood. Most of the magical teachers and security staff at the school were in attendance, forming a semi-circle around the Headmaster who was sitting at his desk. Negi took his place next to Takahata Takamichi, who was unusually silent. He didn't give Negi more than a glance and a nod of acknowledgement. The tension in the air was palpable.

The Headmaster, Konoe Konoemon broke the silence. "Welcome Negi. It seems we are only waiting for Miss Goodman and Miss Sakura."

Suddenly one of the windows of the expansive room flung open. "Did someone call for me?" Standing on the sill were the girls in question. "Takane D. Goodman and Sakura Mei, reporting for duty old man!" Takane was a fan of flashy entrances, and she lived up to her reputation often, even when the situation didn't warrant it. Mei was much more reserved, but would follow Takane to hell and back in a heartbeat. She now stood timidly behind the tall blonde, obviously embarrassed by her sempai's behavior.

The Headmaster raised an overly bushy eyebrow at the latecomers. Light from the window glinted off his shiny, strangely oblong head. "This is not the time for jokes Miss Goodman. We have a serious situation that demands our immediate attention." He paused briefly to let the girls take their places on the far side of the stern, dark skinned Gandolfini. Once the two fell in line, Konoemon stood to address the staff.

"As you all know, we keep close tabs on all of the magical goings on here at Mahora Academy. After the incident with the near collapse of _Mundus Magicus_, there has not been any significant spikes in magical energy, either from the world tree, or from any other magical being." Old man Konoemon scanned the room from left to right. "However, yesterday afternoon, we measured a release of magical energy the likes of which we have scarcely seen before."

"What kind of level are we talking about here?" Despite his portly appearance, Mitsuru Nijuin always got straight to the point.

The Headmaster looked to the man standing two down from Negi to the right. "Satoru-san, if you would?" Yuuna Akashi's father, who was also a professor at the school, looked up from the spot on the floor he was studying.

"Of course, Headmaster. According to our sensors, there was a burst of magical energy, lasting a total of 15 seconds. This is where it gets interesting." Satoru raised a finger to push his glasses up. "The intensity of the energy released during that span was double that of the world tree in the recent episode with _Mundus Magicus_."

"Impossible! That was the largest spike in two hundred years!" That was Kataragi-sensei, dressed in his usual black suit and sunglasses covering the eyes of his bearded face.

Satoru Akashi gave him a level look from behind his glasses. "It is possible, and it's true. Furthermore, it has been difficult to determine the location of the release, but it was definitely not the World Tree, nor any mage on staff."

"What about one of the students?" Sister Shakti, who ran the nun-protection squad, chimed in. "Might any of them have a capability to wield such power?"

Takamichi shook his head before Satoru could answer. "Unlikely. Only a few students have magical capabilities. Of those that do, only Kagurazaka Asuna has the magical reserves deep enough to release such a spike, and I can personally vouch for Asuna's whereabouts yesterday."

"Because you two were on another date, right?" Takane said with a raised eyebrow at the grey-haired teacher. It seemed she still didn't take the meeting seriously. "Don't deny it! I saw you two walki—."

"TAKANE, ENOUGH!" The Headmaster's magically enhanced voice boomed through the room, surprising Takane so much that she fell backwards on her rear. Her face flushed as she stood, brushing off her skirt unnecessarily. It was obvious she wasn't going to interrupt again. The Headmaster turned back to Akashi. "Please, continue Satoru-san."

"While we could not pinpoint the location of the spike, we were able to match the energy signature to an individual. Much to our surprise, the individual that matched the energy signature… was none other than Nagi Springfield."

An audible gasp came from Mei's mouth and a few of the staff stiffened visibly. All eyes turned to Negi, who himself had tensed, even more than he was before. Caught extremely off guard, Negi started sputtering nonsense. The only thing that quieted him was Takamichi's hand on his shoulder. "Calm down Negi. Let the Headmaster explain." Takamichi's calming presence helped, and Negi settled down.

The Headmaster took his seat, but spoke in just as serious a tone as before. "Despite knowing it was Nagi, we have no knowledge of what came of his action, nor do we know what was intended by it. So in the meantime, I expect everyone to be on their highest alert. There is no telling what may come as a result of this, and we must protect the students at all costs. Are we clear?" There was a collective, "Yes, sir!" Konoemon then scanned the room from behind his comically heavy eyebrows. "Good. Now, back to your duties. Everyone, dismissed."

The staff bowed to the Headmaster and started filing out of the room. Takane left out the window she came in through with her proverbial tail between her legs. Mei followed her, bowing profusely to the remaining people in the room. Negi saw Takamichi turn to leave. He would have followed, but he felt rooted to the floor. A sinking suspicion had seeped into his thoughts and it terrified him. Takamichi noticed and attempted to talk to him, but as soon as he put a hand on Negi's shoulder, Negi bolted out of the room, leaving Takamichi thoroughly stunned. He watched Negi speed down the hallway towards the classrooms. He thought to himself, _it seems another trial has begun in Negi's life. Only time will tell who will be involved in the fight with him this time._ Takamichi wasn't usually reverent, but this time he put his hands together and bowed in the direction Negi had gone. _Good luck to you, all you unknown soldiers._

End Chapter 14.

* * *

Author's Note: After much waiting, here is chapter 14! More intrigue and mystery in this one! Now it's involving the entire Mahora community? Of course! Anyway, I hope you all liked reading this chapter! If you would like to contact me, please leave a review or send me a Private Message. I love hearing from people reading Barriers! Thank you for the support, and please stay excited for Setsuna as she finds out who she really is! In the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15.

Negi raced down the hall, barely thinking. Doorways and windows blurred in his haste. Figures of people moved in and out of his vision as he ran. He was focused on one thing and one thing only: getting back to Setsuna. As he rounded a corner he heard an exasperated voice call out his name.

"Ah—Negi-kun!"

He skidded to a stop and whirled around to see Konoka coming towards him. As she got closer, Negi could tell she was worried. Clearly out of breath, she slowed to a stop in front of him.

"Negi-kun, where's Setsuna? Is she alright?"

His eyes tightened as he looked at her. "I don't know, Konoka. She was fine when I left her to go to my meeting, but…" His voice trailed off as he thought about the implications surrounding the creation of Setsuna's new sword. "What I do know is that we have to go to her. Now." Konoka nodded quickly and they ran down the hall towards the infirmary.

Konoka spoke between gasps of air, "Negi-kun, I'm worried about Secchan. She's been acting sort of strange, and when she didn't come to class today…" Negi could hear her voice break. He looked over as they ran and saw tears welling up in her eyes. "Negi, I just want to know Secchan is okay!"

"Me too, Konoka." They still had a ways to go, so for both their sakes Negi slowed to a stop. Konoka slowed in response and looked like she was going to ask him why he stopped, but she didn't get the chance to ask. Without warning, Negi scooped Konoka up in his arms and readied his magic. He focused wind magic around his feet in preparation. "Hold on tight, here we go!"

Konoka clasped her arms around Negi's neck as he took off. He used wind to create a moving cushion of air for each step to land on, so he ran in a motion that rather resembled skating. With the enhanced speed his magic provided they would reach the infirmary in little time. It was a good thing that the students had cleared out of the building—he didn't have the time to explain how a ten year old could run faster than an Olympic sprinter. _And it sure helps that Konoka is light_, he thought.

They soon reached the door to the sick room and Negi released his magic, setting the chocolate-haired girl down gently. He opened the door and stepped into the room decorated in sterile white. "Setsuna-san, Konoka-san and I have come back to check on—." Negi froze.

The cot was empty. Setsuna was gone. He heard a gasp from behind him.

"She's not here? Where'd she go?" Konoka swept around Negi, moving to the empty bed with its sheets still rumpled up. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Why is she gone Sensei?" She collapsed on the floor in front of the bed, then ran a hand over the spot where Setsuna had been laying. "Secchan, where are you?!" She couldn't control her emotions any longer and broke down into a heavy sob.

Negi felt a hollowness in his chest as he watched his student, his friend, cry at the edge of the hospital bed. Moving closer to comfort her, he put a hand on her shoulder and spoke what he hoped were gentle words. "I don't know Konoka. But dry your eyes, we'll find her. I promise."

Konoka wiped her tears away with her hand, then placed it on Negi's. "Okay, but we have to hurry. Secchan could be in danger."

"Then let's go! We have to get help from the others to find Setsuna. Asuna and Kotaro should be around. We'll find them first, then look for Setsuna." Negi pulled Konoka up on to her feet and gestured for her to follow him. As they left the room with the empty cot Negi's thoughts weighed heavily in him. _I just hope were not too late._

* * *

A few minutes later the door to the sick room opened again.

"I'm here to check up on you again Sakurazaki-san—oh my! Where did she run off to now?" Shizuna-sensei had returned to the infirmary after the magical teacher's meeting, only to find her patient gone. She shook her head in frustration. "Why is it that my patients always run off before I treat them?!"

Increasingly mad at her inability to retain patients, Shizuna-sensei impulsively kicked at a bucket that was sitting on the floor. She meant to only knock it over, but in her fit she misjudged her own strength. The bucket launched off her foot, ricocheted off the hospital cot, then the nearby wall, and finally came back to smack her right in the head. She slumped to the floor, unconscious.

* * *

Setsuna felt uncomfortable. Like she was laying on something rather hard. She roused herself from her state of half sleep and opened her eyes. Once her blurry vision cleared, she realized why she was uncomfortable. She was on the semi-soft cot in the infirmary no longer: she was laying on the ground, on the hard packed dirt. Confused, she cautiously sat up and looked around. She appeared to be in a forest meadow, with waving tall grass and beautiful wildflowers dotting the landscape. There were majestic pine trees encircling the meadow and she could see several towering white-capped mountains in the distance. She didn't know where she was, but she knew that it wasn't anywhere in Japan she had been before.

"Welcome."

Setsuna spun around to see a man standing on a rock in the middle of the field with his hands in his pockets. He was dressed in a black button up tucked into white slacks. A black necktie was tied loosely under his collar. The lines crossing his face made him looked weary, but his piercing blue eyes carried weight. The way he stood spoke of strength and experience simultaneously, and his sharp nose made him seem all the more dangerous. Setsuna didn't like the look of him. Add that to not knowing where she was, and she felt extremely uneasy. Even seated, she shifted to ready herself for an attack. She forced her voice to be as cold and hard as she could make it.

"Who are you? And where am I?"

The man gave a small smile and replied, "All in good time, my dear. But first, tell me who you think _you_ are."

The question caught Setsuna off guard. "Me?" She asked incredulously. The man on the rock nodded. She began to list things off as if stating the obvious. "My name is Sakurazaki Setsuna, I'm a student in class 3-A at Mahora Academy, and—"

The man cocked his head to the side and smiled impatiently. "Incorrect. But it was an admirable try."

"What?!" Setsuna's mind was racing, trying to comprehend what was going on. "Of course it's right! That's who I am!"

The man only shook his head, staring off into the sky. With a sigh he lowered his gaze to settle on Setsuna. "Fool girl. Setsuna Sakurazaki: that's who you think you are. Who you actually are is different. Different entirely." He let his breath linger over the last phrase, winding it through different tones. It gave Setsuna an eerie feeling.

"What are you talking about?" Setsuna got up on her feet and looked defiantly at the strange man. "I'm only going to ask this once more: who are you? And what do you want with me?"

His eyes lit up in fervor. "Who am I? Who am I indeed!" The man stomped down from the rock and started stalking over to her. As he moved closer he pulled his hands from his pockets and raised his arms out wide to either side. "You silly little girl, how can you possibly not know who I am? Isn't it obvious? Or are you really that stupid?"

Setsuna gave a heavy growl, keeping her voice low and sharp. "I'm not stupid. And I've never seen you before in my life. _That_ I am sure of."

A sigh escaped the strange man's throat. "Incorrect again. My my, you certainly are full of wrong answers today." He let his arms drop to his side as he regarded her from a short distance. "Since you apparently are either too ignorant or too stupid to figure it out, I'll tell you who I am. Who this… _abomination_ is."

Setsuna went wide-eyed, and her pupils began to shake in apprehension. _No, it couldn't possibly be…_

"That's right, little girl. I am… _Mitis Sicarius!_"

Setsuna's heart sank like a lead weight in a roiling ocean. Thoughts tumbled around in her mind in a cacophony of sound. "I—Impossible! It has to be! _Mitis Sicarius_ is just a sword, you can't be—"

"Oh but I am, my dear." The man smirked at her with a half-smile. "But I know you: you need proof. Well then, allow me to show you that proof!"

The man outstretched his right arm and faced his palm up towards the sky. Air began to gather at that spot, and a massing of light and shadow commenced above his palm. The opposing elements concentrated until they focused into single point of unity. Setsuna had seen this once before, when the Mage of the Beginning had made the blade in Evangeline's resort. This time however, there was no detonation. Rather, the point of light and shadow neatly formed a horizontal line and separated slowly, revealing a sword with a blade black as night and a hilt white as snow. When the lines of blackness and light vanished the man snatched the blade out of the air and held it in front of his face.

"This is all the proof you need to know that I truly am _Mitis Sicarius._ Everything is here, in this blade." He swung the sword down to his side, holding it slightly away from his body. "Now do you understand, girl?"

Everything that had happened in the past two days came crashing down on her as she collapsed down on her knees. In her brief existence Setsuna had seen many things she thought were impossible, especially since she met Negi Springfield. Half of class 3-A had journeyed to the magical world and seen things no ordinary human ever had before. They fought with monsters, met interesting people, and saved that world from certain destruction. And yet, there was a stability to it all. While her friends around her all gained new abilities and talents, Setsuna had honed the skills she already had within her. The way of the sword remained unchanged for her. Yes, her contracts with Negi and Konoka did give her some much appreciated firepower, but even with the added weaponry, a sword was a sword. The teachings of the Shinmeiryuu had never failed her.

That had changed. That stable world had shattered. A sword that could change into a man. A sword that could talk. A sword that could read her thoughts. None of these things were in the teachings of the Shinmeiryuu. Despite thinking she was mentally prepared for anything, these truths struck Setsuna to the core.

She lifted her eyes off the ground to meet the strange man's gaze. He was standing over her, but there was no smirk, nor sneer to his expression. In fact, his face was completely unreadable. To Setsuna's surprise he extended a hand towards her. When he spoke, there was a tenderness to his voice she had not heard before. He sounded almost fatherly. "Silly girl. Give me your hand. Let me help you up."

Not knowing what to do, Setsuna grabbed his hand and was lifted to her feet. She took a moment to really look at the man closely for the first time. He did have striking features, but there was a softness underneath the rough exterior. The blue of his eyes stood out like a splash of color on a blank canvas. Locks of parted white blonde hair framed his face, ending halfway down his neck in a sharp edge. She had to admit that if she was asked to fit a man to her new sword, it would be him.

The man raised an eyebrow at her, and flashed a small smile. "So, you've finally accepted me as your new sword, eh?"

Setsuna blinked and quickly pulled her hand away from his. "No, I don't, actually. There's no way I can. I don't trust you," she stepped away from him and crossed her arms under her breasts, "but I'll listen to what you have to say."

The man's smile faded and he shrugged. "Well, I guess that's a start. Come on, let's go. We have a lot to talk about, little girl." With that he turned around and began walking slowly through the meadow of wild flowers. A breeze picked up and blew his tie sideways to flap in the wind. Setsuna shook her head as she watched his retreating form. _What have I gotten myself into now?_

End Chapter 15.

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you so much for your patience! I have been extremely busy and have found little time to write. However, I am committed to keeping a level of quality so I won't be sacrificing that standard of quality for quick turnaround. That being said, I hope you enjoyed Chapter 15! I have heard from several of you that you are really enjoying this piece, and that makes me so happy! I love hearing from my readers, so please, leave a review, or send me a message. Thank you all for your continued support, and in the words on Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16.

The flowers in the meadow smelled nice. Setsuna couldn't name the scent, but it was calming and invigorating. She could feel her mind clearing as she walked through the grass swaying in the gentle breeze. _My body feels stronger than when I first showed up in this world_, she thought. _What special properties must this place have to make me feel this good?_ Setsuna stopped abruptly. _Come to think of it, I still don't know where we are._ She looked ahead of her to the strange man leading her through the field. _I wonder if he even knows where we are._

"Of course I do, don't insult me." Without stopping, the man turned his head and shot her a tired glare. "Now hurry up or you're going to be left behind."

Setsuna shook herself and caught up to him—she still wasn't used to the man being able to hear her thoughts. Then she had a sudden realization. _When I was at the shrine this morning, didn't the voice in my head say that I could hear his thoughts too? Then why can't I hear what he's thinking now?_ The man didn't respond automatically so she decided she might as well ask.

"Umm, Mitis Sicarius-san? Why can you hear my thoughts, but I can't hear yours?"

The man kept moving. They had reached the edge of the meadow and he had to step over a large log and push a tree branch out of his way to enter the forest.

"Just call me Sicarius, anything else is too long." He held the branch out of the way for her as she leaped over the log—it was really more of a tree and she was too short to get over it without jumping. "And you can't hear my thoughts because I'm not allowing you to hear them." As Setsuna jumped to the other side of the log her foot approached a patch of ground she thought would be stable, but when her foot landed, the ground gave way and she lost her balance.

"Be careful!" Sicarius grabbed Setsuna by the waist and held her steady. "This forest holds many surprises, and I can't have you dying on me. So for the love of the gods, be more careful." His words were harsh, but his smile was playful. Setsuna really couldn't understand this man, but that only added to her annoyance. She didn't appreciate his lecture, but she really wasn't mad at him. She was mad at herself. _I never misjudge my footing when I jump… What's wrong with me?_

Setsuna pushed herself away from the man and put her hands on her hips. "Thank you for catching me, but really, I don't need your lecture. I am perfectly capable of handling this forest on my own."

The man regarded her and put his hand up to his chin, stroking an imaginary beard. "Hmmm… You're capable? What makes you so sure? …Oh!" He stopped his stroking motion and raised his eyebrows in a mock epiphany. "Is it your Shinmeiryuu training? Is that what makes you so confident?"

"What? I don't know where you learned that name, but I'm not telling you anything. And cut the act, I'm not your friend, and I don't appreciate your tone. Just tell me where we are."

Sicarius dropped his head into his hands and rubbed his temples as if they hurt. "Ahh, you are so annoying… Fine. If you want to know so badly. We're in here." He reached out and touched Setsuna's forehead. "Your inner world. A space that exists within your mind. A space that only we can enter."

Setsuna didn't believe him. Or rather, she couldn't believe him. Entering the mind? Metaphorically, maybe. Spiritually, of course. But physically? _Surely he's joking._

"I jest not." Lines of fatigue crossed the man's face, as if explaining the situation drained his energy. "When you lost consciousness to sleep in that cot in the infirmary, you touched the sheath of my sword form. That contact triggered our transport to this place."

Regardless of how unbelievable the story was, Setsuna could not deny it. Beyond that, something in her bones told her that what he said was the truth. "So if we're in my mind, am I really still asleep in the cot."

Sicarius cocked his head in thought. "No, I don't believe that's how it works. For you to be here, you must be here entirely. Your body here is your real body, down to the very last hair on your head."

This confused Setsuna completely. She studied the ground in thought. If it was her real body, how could she possibly be in her own mind? It would have to be a space—a dimension—separate from the normal world where she could exist simultaneously in a micro, metaphysical form within a macro, transcendental form. Her head hurt just thinking about it. Maybe Yue could figure out the logic behind it with her philosophical brain—she certainly couldn't.

"Are you coming or not?"

Setsuna looked up to see Sicarius already fifty paces deeper into the forest, moving steadily away from her. Grumbling, she hurried to catch up to the man. _I really wish he would stop doing that._

"Yeah, I'm coming!" The charcoal-haired girl took long, jumping strides to close the distance between them. "Even so, where are we going Sicarius-san? And why?"

He didn't respond, just kept moving. Faster. He was running now, weaving his way skillfully through the tall trunks of the pine trees. She had to sprint to catch up to him. Despite his appearance, he was fast.

"Hey! Come back here! Stop ignoring me!"

The man was outrunning her. She gritted her teeth and accelerated. Suddenly, he shot to his left as passed behind an especially wide tree. Then he was gone. Setsuna swore under her breath and rushed to the spot he vanished from. Stopping gently, she looked behind the tree. There was nothing but empty forest. Frustration bubbled up inside her, reaching a breaking point. She threw her head up and yelled into the forest. "SICARIUS!"

* * *

"How the HELL did you lose Setsuna?! Negi-Baka!" Asuna punched Negi playfully on the head as they ran across the Mahora campus. After leaving the infirmary, Negi and Konoka had found Asuna napping peacefully in their dorm room. Konoka had practically shaken Asuna awake, something Negi was sure Asuna wasn't used to. Luckily she didn't complain when she saw Konoka's desperate, worried expression. The trio was on their way to find Kotaro before Asuna even asked for an explanation. Negi had told her what had happened, which prompted the scolding and punching.

"I know… It's all my fault for leaving her. I didn't think she'd just disappear! I should have expected something like this might happen." Negi lowered his head in shame as he ran. "Now she might be in danger because I was being complacent."

Asuna promptly punched him in the head again. "Idiot. There's no way you could have known she would _disappear_. Don't blame yourself. And don't worry, Setsuna can handle herself. Let's just focus on finding dog-boy so we can track her down. Right Konoka?" Asuna flashed a big smile in her usual overconfident way, and gave a thumbs-up to the chocolate-haired girl.

Konoka looked slightly reassured and gave a worried nod. "Yeah, Secchan will be okay." Negi thought she sounded like she was trying to convince herself of it.

A moment passed while they ran in silence, each lost in their own thought. Negi knew he had committed to trusting in his girls more, but something inside of him still blamed himself when they were hurt. He hoped Setsuna was alright.

"Negi, where's dog-boy gunna be anyway?" Asuna asked.

That wasn't a question with an easy answer. Negi had to think about it. "Hmmm… If I had to guess, he'd be somewhere private where he could train. Somewhere where he could have lots of room to maneuver, but could test his skills in tight spaces as well."

"Well that's a lot of help." Asuna's sarcasm bled through her words. "Open and tight space together, huh? How about Library Island?"

Negi considered this. _I guess it's possible. I certainly would never have guessed it, but it makes sense. Hardly anyone uses the floors other than the entrance floor, and it has both closely packed shelves, and open reading areas._ He smirked at the redhead. "You know, Asuna-san, you might just be right." He turned his head to Konoka. "I'm going to carry you again Konoka-san so we can get there faster. C'mon, let's hurry!"

In one smooth motion Negi swept Konoka into his arms and he accelerated in the direction of Library Island. Asuna was right on his heels, matching his speed easily. "That was sort of a joke… Do you really think we'll find him there?" She asked.

"Well, he wasn't at the dorms, so I don't see why not." They were covering ground quickly, but Negi knew they were pressed for time. "Asuna-san, can you go faster?"

"Are you kidding me? I thought we were still walking!" She closed her eyes for a split second, then snapped them open, a fierce blue light surrounding her. "Here we go!"

Asuna's foot left the pavement and the two were moving at unnatural speeds, Negi with his wind magic, and Asuna with her Kankaho, a combination of Ki and magic, that she used to maximize her speed. At this speed a normal person wouldn't see them as much more than a blur across their vision.

The two sped across the campus, but even at their speed it still took them a full ten minutes until the bridge connecting Library Island with the campus mainland came into view. Negi had begun to pull away from Asuna—his mastery of his magic far outpaced her mastery of Kankaho, but he knew she would catch up to him at the bridge in short order. As they reached the bridge, Negi released his magic and braced himself for impact. He stomped down on the brick cobblestones and slowed his forward momentum with a skidding half turn that carried him halfway across the bridge. When he finally came to a stop he straightened and set Konoka down on her feet.

Konoka squealed in delight. "Wow Negi-sensei! That was so cool!" Negi smiled boyishly. The girl was easily impressed. Konoka then sniffed the air and wrinkled her nose. She pointed down at his feet. "But, Sensei, your shoes are smoking…"

Negi looked down at his shoes and sure enough, they were nearly smoldering. He growled in frustration. "Damn friction." He quickly lifted his right foot and pointed two fingers at the sole. From his fingers he sent a small gust of ice magic to cool the rubber. He then did the same to the left foot. "There. All better!"

"You think you're so special. Well watch this!" Negi turned at the sound of Asuna's voice and saw her approaching the bridge. He really hoped she wasn't going to try anything too stupid just to show him up.

Asuna leaped into the air and brought her right hand across her chest. She yelled "ADEAT!" and a puff of smoke engulfed her body. She swept her right hand away from her chest and in that instant her giant sword, _Ensis Exorcizans_, materialized and sliced through the smoke. She emerged from the smoke in her black and red battle dress, and armor that covered her left arm from wrist to shoulder and her legs from feet to knees. She gracefully flipped upside down in the air and swung her sword straight down towards the ground. The blade of the sword connected with the ground and it sliced into the bricks with ease, though it wasn't enough to stop her immediately. The sword dug through the brickwork, leaving a deep gouge and a cloud of debris in its wake. When the dust settled, the blade was stuck half-deep in the ground and Asuna was standing triumphantly on top of it with one hand gripping the pommel and the other on her hip.

She shouted from her steel perch. "How's that for an entrance Konoka? Negi's got nothing on me!" She threw her head back and laughed maniacally.

"Um, Asuna?" Negi could almost see a sweat drop form above Konoka's head, like in the manga that she would read occasionally. He hadn't read much, but enough to know that if he were a manga character, he would be sweat dropping as well. "Don't you think that's overdoing it a bit? I mean, you just destroyed half of the bridge…"

Asuna shrugged it off. "Oh c'mon Konoka. We have campus wide battles that destroy entire buildings every single year." She jumped down from the top of her sword and pulled it smoothly out of the ground. "Do you think anyone's going to care about a scratch on a bridge that no one takes?" She whipped the sword back across her body and with another puff of smoke it turned into her long harisen fan which she stowed over her shoulder, on her back. She had taken to carrying the harisen around when she thought there might be danger nearby, just in case.

"A scratch, Asuna-san? That's more like a trench." Negi started moving towards the library building on the far side of the bridge. "It doesn't matter, let's find Kotaro-kun." _Hopefully no one notices the bridge's new surface feature._ The trio crossed the bridge and opened the heavy doors of the library.

Library Island held many mysteries. Most of the floors were lost to time and abandonment. The floors that were not were just as likely to hold grave danger, whether it be from a heavy book falling from a shelf, or mazes of the shelves themselves so expansive and confusing that one might well spend a full day trying to escape them. Luckily, most students avoided the place and its inherent dangers. The only ones who did venture into its depths were the Library Exploration Club, and even they never went as far as when Negi, Konoka, and the Baka Rangers went looking for the Book of Melchizedek to make them smarter so they could pass the end of the year exam and Negi could keep his job. Still, the LEC members didn't have to venture very far to encounter enough danger to know not to ever attempt to go much further.

Negi guessed that his friend would be in one of the closer lower levels, working to enhance his speed and agility. In the battle to rescue Asuna from Fate's trap back in Mundus Magicus, Kotaro had realized that his level of sheer power was nowhere near what he would need to damage someone on Fate's level, let alone defeat someone like him. Surprisingly, he had opened up to Negi about it once they had returned home. After talking it over, he decided the best way to use his power was to become incredibly fast. It was a sound strategy—come at the enemy with such blinding speed that successive blows become effectively simultaneous, even though they are not. Therefore, each strike multiplies on the damage already taken until the enemy cannot hold on any longer. Negi's technique while using his lightning form was actually pretty similar, but Kotaro insisted that he could get close to Negi's level of speed and pack a harder punch while doing so. Negi chuckled to himself as he pushed the door to the library open. _My lightning form takes so much magical energy that is cripples my offensive capabilities. Maybe Kotaro-kun will surpass me after all._ He clenched his fist and smiled to himself as he stood in the doorway. _Right. Then I'll just have to become stronger as well!_

"Uh, Negi? What are you doing?" Asuna was staring at him from a few feet inside the building with a confused expression. It was then that he realized he was still holding the door open while the two girls were already inside.

"Oh… Sorry, it's nothing." He hurried to their side and rubbed the back on his head. "I just need to work hard, that's all."

Asuna's confusion deepened and she looked like she was going to ask what he meant, but a soft voice interrupted her.

"Negi-sensei? What are you doing here?"

Their attention was drawn to a girl emerging from a row of bookcases with books stacked high in her arms. So high in fact that she could just see over them. Negi's eyes lit up at the sight of one of his favorite students. "Ah! Miyazaki-san, good to see you. You're hard at work as always!

"Hey Honya-chan! What's going on?" Asuna flashed a smile to the young librarian and gave her a two fingered salute. Konoka smiled and bowed shallowly, most likely preoccupied with worrying over Setsuna.

"Uh, hello Asuna-san, Konoka-san." Miyazaki Nodoka placed the stack of books she was holding on a nearby cart and bowed to them respectfully. When she straightened, she looked at Negi. "Sensei?"

"Miyazaki-san, we're here looking for Kotaro-kun. Have you seen him around here?"

"Um, Inugami Kotaro-san? Yes, he asked Yue and me if he could reserve the floor below us for some training."

"One level below, right?" Konoka sped off in the direction of the stairwell. "Thank you Nodoka-chan! Hurry up Sensei! We have to find Secchan."

"Right." Negi bowed to Nodoka before turning to leave himself. "Thank you for the information Miyazaki-san."

"Wait! Sensei, what's going on? Has something happened?" Even though her eyes were mostly hidden by her bangs of dark purple hair, Negi could tell by the sound of her voice that Nodoka was concerned.

Negi looked to Konoka who was already halfway to the stairwell, then back to Nodoka. With a look over his shoulder he spoke to Asuna. "Asuna-san, please go on ahead with Konoka-san. I need to talk to Miyazaki-san."

"On it." And with that Asuna ran after her roommate, jumping over stacks of books and counters to make up ground. "Konoka, wait up! I'm coming with you!"

With that taken care of, Negi turned back to Nodoka. "Yes, there is something that has happened… Setsuna-san has disappeared. We're trying to find her, and we need Kotaro's help to do it." He didn't like burdening his students with problems which rightfully should be his alone, but he couldn't lie to Nodoka.

"Setsuna-san is gone?" Nodoka's eyes widened behind her bangs. Then she bowed suddenly. "Um, please allow me to help look for Sakurazaki-san!"

Negi was shocked by her reaction, but he could see there was no way of saying no to her. When Nodoka set her mind to something, she wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Alright Miyazaki-san, but we have to hurry." He grabbed Nodoka by the hand and started running to the stairwell. If he had eyes in the back of his head, he would have seen the blush suffusing on Nodoka's cheeks as he was leading her by the hand.

Negi turned his head as the two rounded the corner of the stairwell. A flash of black entered his vision before something smacked into his head.

"OWW! Dammit, that hurt!" Kotaro's voice was unmistakable. It seemed that he, Asuna, and Konoka had just come up the stairs. Negi rubbed his head where they had apparently collided, then punched Kotaro playfully in the arm.

"Your head's not so soft either, you know?"

With a huge grin, Kotaro grabbed Negi around the neck and gave him a violent noogie. "Well if it isn't the little hero of the magical world—the leader of Ala Alba!" Negi broke free of the headlock with a chuckle. Kotaro back away from him and put his hands wide to his sides. "And now you can't even find one teenage girl that's gone missing. One of your own students no less!"

Negi was slightly irritated by that remark. He gave his friend a challenging look. "What are you trying to say exactly, Kotaro-kun?"

Kotaro waved his hand in front of his face dismissively. "Only that it's amazing how far you've fallen." He smirked at Negi as if egging him on, but before Negi could even react, Asuna rounded on them.

"Oh would you two give it a rest?! We've got a girl to save. Now stop arguing or I'll mop the floor with the both of you!"

Oddly enough, Kotaro straightened up immediately and looked off into the distance of the library. "Right. Let's go save Setsuna." He turned to an antsy Konoka and gave her a goofy thumbs up. "Don't worry Konoka! With the four of us, we'll find her in no time!" He added a wink for good measure.

Negi tugged at Kotaro's shirtsleeve. "Five. There's five of us. Miyazaki-san is coming too."

Kotaro's smile widened. "Even better. I don't like the number four anyway. Five is such a better number! Now let's stop talking and move. If I can get a whiff of her, then I'll know exactly where to find her. Smell is my best sense, and tracking is my specialty." He crouched slightly. "Okay! Kotaro's Special Rescue Party, ROLL OUT!" With that, he leapt off the ground and bounded like a dog towards the library's main doors without waiting for the rest of them.

Asuna went slack jawed. "Okay, since when are we _his_ special rescue team?"

Caught up in the fire of Kotaro's little speech, Negi didn't hear Asuna's comment. "Asuna-san, can I ask you to carry Konoka-san? We need to hurry." Without waiting for confirmation, he moved to Nodoka. "I'm sorry Miyazaki-san, but I'm going to carry you."

Nodoka held her arms up in front of her body with her palms out. "Ah—no… no need to be sorry—it's alri—." But before she could finish her sentence, Negi scooped her up with one hand under her legs and one arm around her shoulders. He activated wind magic and sped down the library foyer with Nodoka in her arms, Asuna next to him with Konoka on her back. One thing was for certain in Negi's mind, they _were_ going to find Setsuna, no matter what.

End Chapter 16.

* * *

Author's Note: So this is a new note as of 7/1/2016. I have been working on revising the chapters of Barriers, to ensure quality of editing. I am working on them in order, so I have about 10 more to do. Don't worry, I'm working on Chapter 4 of Shadows too! Also, remember to leave a review if you liked (or didn't like) something about the chapter. Or send me a PM so that we can chat. Thanks for reading this chapter, and the continued support of my writing. In the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17.

Sicarius was nowhere to be found. It was like he had vanished into thin air. Setsuna had searched behind every tree, scoured every inch of the surrounding area. She had even used her wings to fly above the canopies of the trees to get a better view. All to no avail. She leaned against a tree trunk to decide what to do next. She was starting to wonder if he had ever existed at all. Maybe this was all just some sort of strange dream that she was having.

"No, you'll find that I am quite real."

With a jump she jerked her head upwards and saw Sicarius hanging upside down from a low hanging tree branch. Fury bubbled up inside of her and she stuck a finger out at him.

"Where the hell did you disappear to?"

The strange man started laughing hysterically. So much so that he nearly doubled over in laughter. It was then that Setsuna realized he wasn't merely hanging from the branch, he was actually _standing_ upside down on it. His feet held solid footing on the underside of the branch, and he looked in no danger of falling. Eerily enough, even his tie defied gravity, and the sword on his hip that shared his same name stayed firmly in its sheath. After a few seconds of howling laughter he slowly returned to full height, nursing a dying laugh while covering his mouth with his hand.

"You really are hilarious. Where did I disappear to? I've been here this whole time."

Setsuna shot him a questioning glare. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, I was right here in front of you. I was simply masking my presence to see how you handle pressure." He crouched slightly and jumped toward to ground, doing a full flip in the air before landing solidly on his feet. "You see, if you are going to control me, then I need to know how you think." The man reached out and touched her cheek with his palm. "I need to know how you feel. How you live. How you… love."

Setsuna's natural reaction was to pull back from his touch, but this time she grabbed his wrist forcefully and pulled him so that his face was just inches from her own.

"I don't know what kind of scheme you're trying to pull here, but I'm having none of it. And don't touch me, ever again." her grip on his wrist tightened before she flung it away from her. "Now tell me what you brought me here for, or I'm leaving. And believe me, if a way out of here doesn't exist," she made a slicing motion with an open palm, "I'll make one."

A slow clap resounded in the empty forest. Setsuna spun around to see the origin of the sound. What she saw boggled her mind. It was Sicarius, slowly stepping out from behind a tree. In the exact same clothes, with the exact same smug look on his dangerous face. She swiveled her body back around only to see the man she was just talking to evaporating to smoke and dust.

"Now that's the spirit, little girl!" Sicarius held his hands against his sides and barked with laughter. He sauntered over to her and patted her on the head. "That will do nicely." He dropped his hand and closed his eyes. His voice relaxed as he spoke to her. "I will now tell you what you're here for." He opened one eye to gauge her reaction before continuing. "But first, sit."

Before Setsuna could know what was going on, Sicarius held a single finger to her forehead and pushed her back. Caught off guard, she tumbled backward and fell hard into a chair that somehow appeared behind her.

"Hey! What was that for? I don't appreciate being pushed around like that." She curled her fists on her knees and stiffened her arms.

The man simply leaned against a nearby tree and waved dismissively. "You have a bad habit of interrupting. I was trying to be helpful. You could see that if you weren't being so stupid." He sighed heavily and rested his head back against the tree. "You're here because you need to become stronger. Not in the way you might think, however. Your technique with a sword is exquisite, I'll grant you that much. But your level of power is pitiful. At you current level you couldn't hope to beat anyone, even your own understudy. Isn't that right, _Sempai_?" On the last word he made his voice unnaturally high as if imitating a female.

Setsuna gritted her teeth. He was mocking her for sure.

"Oh come now," he said, "you can't possibly be mad at me. After all, you're the one who had trouble defeating your kohai, Tsukuyomi, not me. Silly girl." Sicarius pushed himself off the tree and crouched down in front of her. "But, there's a way to change all of that. There's power in you yet. And there's power in me. I was created by the Mage of the Beginning with the Great Grand Master Key. I contain more power than you would know what to do with." He breathed a heavy sigh. "But unfortunately, outside of this space I can't utilize my power. That's why you will have to. You will have to learn how to draw on my strength and use my power to its greatest extent. It won't be easy, and I can't guarantee that you'll be safe, but it is possible to become strong enough to defeat even the Mage of the Beginning."

Setsuna listened carefully to what he said. Something stirring within her bones told her for a second time that what he spoke was the truth. She looked him straight in the eye, "And if I refuse?"

"You don't have a choice. If you don't try to control my power, it will become dangerous to you and those you love, sooner or later."

"What do you mean by that?" She asked.

"My power is… unstable. Do you remember that detonation released when I was first created? That was only a fraction of the power that would be released upon my destruction—which would happen if my power went unused. And unlike before, there would be no protection from the blast. Imagine, your entire school, everything and everyone you know, destroyed in a brilliant flash of light. Never to return again. So you tell me: do you have a choice?"

Setsuna's eyes fell to the ground. The risk was enormous. The entire Mahora campus, gone. Everything she had known for the last two years, wiped out of existence. It was unthinkable. _Then there's no way to avoid it._ She lifted her eyes to meet his. "What do I have to do?"

A wind whistled past them that blew the man's tie and rustled Setsuna's ponytail. Sicarius stood and put his hand around the black sheath of the sword on his hip. He pulled the sheathed blade out of the holster attached to his slacks and held it between them. "You have to solve a puzzle. While fighting me." He tossed the sword at her. She caught it in front of her face without so much as flinching.

"A puzzle, huh?" She lowered the sword and put her right hand on the snow white hilt. "I don't make a habit of fighting unarmed opponents."

Sicarius backed up a few paces and held up his hand. "Who said I was going to be unarmed?" The air above his hand swirled, coalescing into a solid form. When the form finally solidified, Setsuna's eyes widened.

"Yunagi?" Sicarius wasn't holding just any sword, he was holding _her _sword. Setsuna stared directly into the man's pupils, daring him to answer. "How did you get that sword?!"

Sicarius grabbed the wooden hilt of the blade and brought the steel close to his face, admiring the craftsmanship. With a brief sigh of satisfaction, and an eerie grin, he looked at her over the steel of the blade. "Silly girl. Did you forget? We're in your mind. This sword was here all along. I just needed to access your memory of it. I'd really love to tell you all about how I did it, but unfortunately, we don't have any more time for talking." He readied his stance, which was slightly stooped with his right leg out in front and his sword arm held across his body, with Setsuna's Yunagi pointed back behind him. "Get ready to fight. Now."

Setsuna held her sword up to her face with two hands and looked down its black length, pointed at Sicarius. "I'm always ready. I'll make you pay for using my blade."

She shifted her feet apart and brought her back heel off the ground. Without waiting she lunged at the man. He swung across his body at her, but she deflected the slice upwards easily, knocking his arm away and leaving his body exposed. She quickly stabbed down on his right side to then slash left. With incredible speed he spun and parried the stab narrowly then jumped away from the slash, but she caught a bit of his shirt with the tip of her blade. As he landed, he inspected the slice in his black button-up with a frown. "Dang. I liked this shirt. Not matter…" He looked up at her. "You move well. I'm glad I wasn't wrong about you. But fighting isn't all you have to do."

Holding his sword away from his body he charged at her, raising the sword high above his body. She dug her back foot into the dirt under her feet and prepared for his strike. As he swung down hard, she raised her blade to block, holding the black blade steady with her off hand. His blow landed and the sharp sound of steel on steel rang out through the forest. She staggered slightly—his sheer power was enormous—but she held fast. He gave her a smile as he pushed on his sword, causing both blades to shake. "The fun part will be the puzzle."

Setsuna shifted her weight to the left and dropped her sword hand causing Sicarius's momentum to carry his sword harmlessly past her. It created an opening on his left which she took advantage of by slicing right, across his body. She made contact again, but strangely she didn't feel any bite to the cut. The sword glided right through him, as if he didn't have any bones at all. Once she finished her stroke she jumped back a step, seeing that the slice did in fact leave a shallow slice above his stomach, just a short distance below where she cut his shirt the first time. It was already beginning to seep blood. She flicked her sword away from her to get the blood off the blade. "It looks like I can cut you. Good. Now what about this puzzle. What is its nature?"

Still stooped over, Sicarius laughed. He stuck Yunagi's blade into the dirt and straightened. "Why yes, it looks like you can cut me. You certainly do have good training. You know precisely how to move to create openings. However, do not think that you've found the trick to defeating me." He placed his hand over the slice in his abdomen and swiped his palm along the cut. As his hand passed over the wound, the skin closed and the bleeding stopped. At the end he let his hand fall and only a red scar was left. "I still have much to show you. And as for the puzzle, here is the background: Each sword has an individual identity; a sort of spirit, if you will. Even your Shinmeiryuu teachings say as much. What they failed to mention, probably because they did not know, is that when a sword is created with magic, rather than a forge, the spirit of the blade becomes alive." He pointed to the sword in Setsuna's hand. "That blade you are holding is the physical form of _Mitis Sicarius_, but I am the spiritual manifestation of that blade."

He reached down and pulled Yunagi out of the ground, resting the back of the blade against his shoulder. "In addition, the form you hold is only the base form. Every magically crafted blade has at least one enhanced state. Each one of these is called a release—as in a gate that opens and releases the next level of power. The number of releases depends on the conditions of the sword's creation. To get the most use out of the sword, you need to master each of these releases. However, to achieve the release, you need to call out the release's specific activation key."

Setsuna raised her eyebrow at Sicarius. She hardly believed what he was saying, but a part of her was intrigued by the possibility of more power. A strange curiosity came over and she needed to know what the hidden power was of the sword she held. "So then the puzzle is to figure out this sword's first activation key?"

He smirked at her. "You say it like it's going to be so easy. We'll see about that." He readied Yunagi and raced towards her. There was fire in his eyes as he slashed. As she parried his blow she could tell that it wasn't going to be easy, no matter what she said.

* * *

"Negi-sensei?" Miyazaki Nodoka looked up into Negi's eyes from her cradled position in his arms.

"Yes? What's the matter Nodoka?" In his worried state he forgot his formalities. Fortunately, Nodoka didn't seem to mind. In fact, her eyes sparkled from behind her bangs when he used her first name. He filed that away in the back of his mind for another time. "Is something wrong?"

Nodoka held his gaze for a long moment, then looked and pointed to a rather confused looking Kotaro. "Um, I don't want to be rude but… I'm starting to doubt if Kotaro-kun can find Setsuna-san." She brought her hands together and touched the points of her first fingers together nervously. "And you can put me down now… you know, if you wanted to." She blushed as she spoke.

Negi set her down gently and looked where she pointed. She certainly had a point. Kotaro's so called 'Special Rescue Party' had hit an impasse. They had first gone to Setsuna's dorm room so Kotaro could memorize her smell. Once he had a whiff of her clothing he had immediately set off east, saying he knew exactly where she was. That was half an hour ago.

Now, the group stood on a hilltop overlooking the water that surrounded the campus. Negi recognized the spot—it was where Nodoka's best friend had finally confessed her love for him. He blushed at the memory of Ayase Yue on that evening. He quickly reflected while they had time. Yue wasn't the first to confess to him, nor was she the last. Negi had lost track of how many of the girls he was supposed to be a teacher to had told him they liked—or even loved him. He quickly sighed and scratched the back of his head. _I guess it really can't be helped, can it?_

"DAMMIT!"

Negi was quickly roused out of his thoughts by Kotaro's booming voice. Being a half dog demon he could yell so loud it would leave your ears ringing afterwards. In fact, it looked to Negi like that exact thing had happened to Asuna as he watched her give him a punch to the face that sent him flying.

"Shut the hell up, you idiot! You're gunna burst my eardrums!"

Kotaro landed on his feet with a skid. He snarled and launched himself back at her. Asuna readied herself and they collided, catching each other's fists. She shouted at him as she pushed him back. "It's your own damn fault for losing the trail!"

Kotaro flexed and pushed back. "I didn't lose the trail. She's right here! Somewhere…"

Asuna glared at him and dropped her arms, saying "then where the hell is she?!" She moved aside and his momentum caused him to topple to the ground. She turned towards the rest of the party and crossed her arms across her chest. "Idiot."

Her moment of victory ended when Konoka came over to her and put her hand on Asuna's shoulder. Negi was sure she was going to cry—Konoka had never handled stress well, especially when Setsuna was in danger. So he was even more surprised when Konoka's voice was smooth and confident.

"Let's trust Kota-kun. He knows what he's doing. If he says Secchan is here, then she must be here." Konoka looked Asuna straight in the eyes. "On our way here I realized that I had been taking Secchan for granted. Losing her like this, even if it's only been a few hours, it makes me really sad. And lonely. But Secchan would want me to be strong, confident. Secchan would want us to work together to find her. I can feel her strength inside me even now. She _is_ here, Asuna."

Asuna looked extremely confused. "But Konoka, there's no one here! I don't see a single person on this hillside, do you?"

Just then, Nodoka stepped towards Asuna and put her hand meekly on Asuna's other shoulder. She shared Konoka's look of confidence to a lesser degree. "Um… I believe in Konoka-san. Setsuna-san is here somewhere, we just have to… you know, find her."

Overjoyed by his student's conviction, Negi jumped between the two of them, put his fist up and held a flexed bicep in a show of confident strength. "That's right Asuna-san! We just have to do our best to find her!"

Asuna's eyes flashed between the three of them and she finally sighed in defeat. "Alright. We'll just have to look for her here, I guess…" Her submission was met with a bevy of cheers led by a re-enthused Konoka. With her shoulders free of her friend's hands, Asuna moved over to pick a dazed Kotaro off the ground—it seemed as though his head had unluckily hit a rock on his way to the ground and it had knocked the sense out of him. As Asuna pulled him to his feet he wobbled slightly and held the back of his head. He still managed a wry smile though.

"Jeez violent-girl. If you're going to do that, could you at least make sure I don't hit my head on a freaking rock?"

As soon as he was on his feet, Asuna released his hand and gave him a high-pitched, impertinent sniff. "Just be lucky you didn't land on your face. Now, we have work to do. Show me: where _exactly_ did you smell Setsuna?"

"Alright, alright, cool your jets grandma." Kotaro took another sniff and took off to his left, leaving Asuna quaking with indignation over being called 'grandma.' He moved in circles, honing in on the exact position until he stopped about five meters from where they stood. It was on the downward slope of the hillside, towards the water. As Negi and the group came over to the spot, Kotaro crouched down and looked intently at the grass.

"It's weird. It smells like she's standing right here, but there's no trace of her." He stood up and shook his head at Negi. "Do you want to check it out Negi, see if you can find something?"

"Sure, I'll have a look." Negi nodded, but he wasn't sure what he was going to look for. Kotaro was right: it seemed like it was just another stretch of grass. Completely unremarkable. Skeptically, he went down to one knee to examine the grass further. He felt around the area, but nothing caught his attention. He then attempted to sense any magical machinations, but didn't sense anything. He crouched lower so his face was right next to the grass, hoping a close inspection would yield something new. He scanned the grass quickly but it was just like he thought, completely unremarkable. While looking over the last bit of ground he spoke.

"There's no doubt, this is just ordinary grass. Setsuna isn't here. We'll have to keep lookin—"

Something abruptly landed on Negi's head and he toppled over. Somehow, he ended up on his back and his face was squished against something soft and warm that had a distinctly unique smell, but he wasn't sure what it was. He heard a scream and the object backed away from his face. He tilted his head back to see what it was and there, in the flesh, was Setsuna, sitting on the ground in her school uniform. _She must have fallen and landed with my face…under her skirt._ Negi almost had a nose bleed as he realized what it was his face had touched. His thoughts were quickly broken by a high-pitched squeal.

"SECCHAN!" Negi got to his feet as Konoka dove for Setsuna, wrapping arms around her neck. On her knees, Konoka squished her cheek against Setsuna's face as she hugged her. "I'm so happy you're not dead! We thought you were kidnapped. But you're not! Oh Secchan…" Tears of joy and relief began streaming down Konoka's face.

Setsuna looked momentarily shocked at the greeting, then returned the hug warmly. "Of course I'm not dead Kono-chan. I could never die without you."

In the midst of the scene, Nodoka moved to Negi's side and leaned in to him, speaking in her soft, warm voice. "They're so cute, aren't they?"

"Setsuna! Welcome back! It looks like you weren't in danger after all." Asuna had one hand behind her head, looking on the brink of laughter. "I guess we didn't really need dog-boy after all."

"Watch it Granny!" Kotaro looked about ready to throw something. "If I weren't here, we would never have found where she was going to pop out from in the first place! So yeah, you did need me." He turned his back on the group and folded his arms over his chest with a loud huff. He did, however, turn his head and give Setsuna a wink.

"So, Setsuna-san…" despite the fact that Negi was glad she was found, he still had an uneasy feeling about her sudden return, "how exactly did you just appear from thin air? And where did you go after leaving the infirmary?"

With Konoka's help, Setsuna stood and faced Negi. She bowed to him and stated simply, "I'm sorry for leaving Sensei, but I don't have a good explanation for you." With sincere eyes Setsuna looked to each of her friends in turn. "You all must have worried for me. Again, I'm sorry."

That obviously didn't satisfy Asuna, who thumped her friend on the back with her hand. "Oh come on Setsuna. You can't just fall out of the air and act like nothing happened. Now tell us what happened or we'll force it out of you with Honya-chan's artifact. Isn't that right, Honya-chan?"

Nodoka blushed and emphatically waved her hands back and forth, stammering. "I, uh… No, I couldn't… I mean, I could, but…" It was obvious though that Asuna wasn't paying attention.

Setsuna's eyes flicked between Asuna, her training partner, with whom she had become quite close, and Negi. The sincerity in her features were replaced with something close to indecision. Negi wasn't sure they were going to get a straight answer. Finally, she bowed again and spoke. "I can't tell you where I was, because I don't know that for sure myself." She straightened and stared with great intention into Negi's eyes. "But, I can show you what I was doing."

Negi watched curiously as Setsuna turned and walked several paces away from the group. She stopped and turned to face them with her right hand in front of her, palm up towards the sky. A wind came swirling across the hilltop, violent enough to blow Negi's suit tie hard and more than rustle the girl's uniform skirts. Leaves from nearby trees whizzed past Negi's face, and the water at the bottom of the hillside became choppier than the open sea. Nodoka sidled up to him instinctively and he grabbed her around the waist to hold her tight. Asuna grabbed on to Konoka's wrist, and Kotaro crouched against the wind and dug one hand into the ground for support. Negi had to put his arm up to his face to see through the wind.

The wind seemed to be gathering around Setsuna, who stood strong, defiant of the gusting around her. Streams of air focused in the air above her palm, concentrating. The daylight distorted, and a single, darkly radiant point formed there. The point became a strange, horizontal line across the air, right above her hand. It separated slowly. The line moving up revealed a blade black as night, while the opposite line, a hilt white as snow. When the full length of the sword floated above her hand the lines vanished in a burst of air that nearly knocked Negi and Nodoka to the ground.

Then, Setsuna grabbed the hilt. She put her hand on the back side of the blade and slid her hand down its length while she swung the sword to her side. When she swung, the air stilled with a hush and a ringing of steel reverberated softly in the air. Negi lowered his arm and stared at the sight before him. Setsuna's voice rang out through the stillness.

"_Mitis Sicarius._"

End Chapter 17.

* * *

Author's Note: Thus, Chapter 17. I hoped you liked it! If you couldn't tell, I added some elements of Bleach with the sword. I'm not planning on any Bleach characters making an appearance, so it still isn't a true crossover (in my mind at least). Nevertheless, please permit me to indulge myself in using some of the Bleach sword release terminology/themes. If you would like to comment on this chapter or the story as a whole, please leave a review or send me a private message (or both!). I will try my hardest to respond promptly. Thank you all for your continued support, and as always, in the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18.

"_Mitis Sicarius._"

The black blade of _Mitis Sicarius_ glinted in the waning sunlight. Setsuna lowered the blade and sheathed it. In silence, she walked slowly over to her stunned friends. Negi quickly realized his mouth was hanging open, and shut it. He had never seen anything like it before. Setsuna, while skilled in the Shinmeiryuu arts, was not a magic practitioner. She could utilize some Eastern magic, but whenever Negi had seen her use it, she had used paper doubles that she channeled her _ki_ into. This time, as far as Negi could tell, she wasn't using Eastern magic. The blade simply appeared above her hand. He rushed to close the gap between them.

"Remarkable Setsuna-san! How did you do that without a paper double? Is this some trick of Eastern magic I don't know about?" Negi practically bobbled with excitement. While any aspect of magic interested him, he was particularly fascinated with any magic he had yet to encounter. Despite being a weapon Negi knew he would never use himself, he was yearning to study its intricacies. His hopes didn't last long, however.

"Negi-sensei, please calm down. Do not forget that this sword is still dangerous—remember?" She gave him a look that dulled his enthusiasm. "But no, it is not Eastern magic. Sicarius told me it's one of the blade's abilities. I… I still don't really understand it."

Negi gave her a confused look. "Sicarius told you that? You mean the sword?"

Setsuna diverted her eyes from her teacher and rubbed her sword arm. "It's… hard to explain."

"New toy Setsuna? It looks sort of like your old sword." Asuna had a cocky smile on. "It's still on the small side though. If you were going to get a new sword, you could at least have gotten one like mine."

Setsuna opened up to Asuna differently than anyone else. In a rare showing, she matched Asuna's cocky demeanor. "At least mine actually cuts. Yours can't do more than dust a bookshelf. Miyazaki-san, you should hire Asuna-san to clean the library for you."

For the second time, Nodoka was caught in the middle of someone's joke. And for the second time her hand waving and stammering was ignored.

"Hah!" Asuna barked a laugh and reached out her hand to Setsuna. "Glad to have you back Setsuna." They clasped hands and smiled. It never ceased to amaze Negi how close those two had become. _Quite good friends indeed_, he thought.

With the pleasantries of the reunion over, the group headed back to the main part of campus. They walked slowly, chit-chatting about various things, none of any significance. Konoka held onto Setsuna's arm as if she might disappear into thin air as easily as she reappeared. Nodoka walked close to Negi, fighting the urge to grab hold of his hand, and then blushing madly every time she thought about doing so. Asuna and Kotaro bickered for a while until about halfway back to the girls' dorm when he announced he was bored and ran off without so much as a goodbye.

"He's an odd one alright." Asuna shielded her eyes against the setting sun as she watched Kotaro disappear behind a nearby building. In a final act of annoyance she shouted, "AND DON'T EVER CALL ME GRANNY!"

With Kotaro gone, the group decided they should head back to the dorm and have some tea at Asuna and Konoka's room. They walked in light spirits, steady conversation satisfying them all the way back to the dorm room. By the time they got inside the building, evening had given way to night.

When they reached their room, Konoka bounced to the door and unlocked it, politely yet insistently urging the others to take a seat and get comfortable. Once everyone was inside, she glided to the kitchen and immediately set to work making tea. The others moved to the low table in the middle of the room and sat. Being of gentlemanly manners, Negi usually adopted the seiza position while sitting, but he simply felt too tired to be that uncomfortable. Even though he had spent the last year in Japan, he still hadn't developed the leg circulation required to maintain seiza comfortably for extended periods of time. Instead, he sat cross-legged, which to him was much more comfortable. Nodoka joined Negi on his side of the table, sitting closer to him than most would, and Setsuna and Asuna took the side across from him.

Once they were all settled there were a few moments of uncomfortable silence. Feeling the weight of the room, Nodoka tried to break the ice. "Your dorm room is nice Asuna-san. I'm happy to be here."

Asuna, who had been studying Negi, looked to an obviously nervous Nodoka with surprise and smiled. "Thanks, Honya-chan. You're welcome over anytime." Their pleasantries were interrupted by Negi, who had been staring at Setsuna.

"Setsuna-san, I'd like you to tell me something." Negi continued without waiting for a response. "Kotaro followed your scent to that hillside, but when we got there you were nowhere to be found. Then you just appeared out of thin air. Where exactly were you?"

Setsuna averted her eyes from his gaze and shifted uncomfortably. "I… I can't tell you sensei. I wish I could, but I can't."

Negi banged his hand on the table and all of the girls jumped in astonishment. "That's not good enough Setsuna-san!" He stared her down hard—he didn't like doing this, but he had to.

"N… Negi-sensei?" Nodoka's voice quivered.

"Negi! Don't shout at Setsuna like that!" Asuna looked indignant, like she would have put her hands on her hips if she was standing. "In fact—"

"No Asuna. He's right." Setsuna looked up from her lap and put her hand on Asuna's arm to calm her down. "It's too important to keep from him. Especially since it involves his father." Negi smiled inwardly—he was starting to know when to push his students to get what he wanted from them.

"His father?" Asuna looked at Negi. "You mean that Nagi is involved in all this?"

Setsuna looked at her friend. "I'll explain it later. Negi, I'm going to be honest with you, but you have to believe me when I tell you."

"Tell him what Secchan?" Konoka came waltzing to the table, carrying a large tray of tea cups and a full pot like it was nothing. She expertly set the tray on the table and moved to take her place at the end of the table to Setsuna's right, waiting patiently for a response. Apparently she had found the time to don an apron—although it was hardly required for making tea.

"Kono-chan, Negi-sensei wanted to know where I was when I… disappeared from the infirmary." Setsuna turned from Konoka and addressed the group at large. "Everyone, I know this might sound crazy, but you all have to believe me." She paused a moment to assess everyone's reactions. Asuna was obviously confused and looked somewhat nervous. Nodoka's eyes were hidden behind her bangs, but her hands were fidgeting in her lap. Negi's face was unreadable and hard. Only Konoka was completely unaffected, pouring tea for the five of them like nothing out of the ordinary was going on. Summoning up her courage, she began.

"When you left, Sensei, I closed my eyes, hoping to take a nap. I didn't really sleep very well last night. But when I awoke from the nap, I wasn't in the hospital cot. I was in some forest meadow out in the mountains. I didn't recognize it—I don't think I'd ever been there before. And there was this man in the meadow, dressed in a black shirt and white pants. He said his name was Mitis Sicarius."

Nodoka gasped, and a moment later Asuna blurted out, "But, 'Mitis Sicarius,' isn't that the name of your new sword?"

Setsuna nodded. "Yes. It turns out that that man that was in the meadow _is_ my sword, or rather a physical manifestation of it. He told me all about the nature of the new weapon bestowed upon me, and the power is possesses. He even told me a little about the place we were in. Apparently, in my sleep on the infirmary cot I had touched the blade's sheath, which was enough to transport me to that place."

"Where did it send you exactly?" Negi's eyes were tight, almost anxious. Setsuna didn't hesitate in answering.

"My own mind. I…I don't really understand it, but Sicarius said that the power of the sword, given to it by the Great Grand Master Key, is such that it can create an alternate space inside my own mind where I and the true form of the sword can exist in the flesh, for a time. Apparently, the power of the sword extends beyond that, however." Setsuna shifted on her folded legs. "But, if I can't learn to control its sheer power, the pent up potential energy of the sword will be released in one massive explosion, taking with it the entire Mahora campus, along with everyone in it. It is now my responsibility to keep that from happening." Setsuna screwed her eyes shut, embarrassed and mad that she wasn't able to shoulder the weight of the situation alone. "Negi-sensei, everyone, I am sorry I have to burden you with this as well."

Setsuna felt a hand touch her face and she opened her eyes. Konoka was leaning over the table corner, one hand softly against Setsuna's face and a warm smile on her own. Without warning Konoka leaned in further and kissed Setsuna on the cheek. Setsuna was shocked. Even still, she took a moment to enjoy the feeling of Konoka's warm lips on her cheek before pulling back, blushing out of habit.

"Kono-chan! I can't believe you did that in front of our friends…"

"Secchan." Konoka looked serious, but with a deep love in her eyes. "We are your friends. We love you. I love you. And nothing you do or say is ever going to change that. We are going to stay with you, no matter what happens. We will help you control your new powers so that no one has to die. And if we can't, then we'll die with you. Whatever happens, don't worry. You're not alone Secchan. We're right here, all of us." Konoka held Setsuna's hands in her own and leaned in once more, giving Setsuna a loving kiss. Setsuna's eyes closed as warmth and comfort passed between them as their lips locked. Electricity filled Setsuna's body and her heart bounced into her throat. All too soon it was over as the chocolate-haired girl pulled away. "And I will never leave, anata."

Setsuna looked into Konoka's brown eyes and nearly broke down. A few tears streamed down her face and she brought a hand up to wipe them away. Afraid they had offended the others, she looked around the table quickly. Instead of anger or disgust, she saw her friends all smiling at her, completely unphased by what they had seen, all with love in their eyes. Moved by the display of friendship, she was about to thank them when she heard a slow clap from the shadowed windowsill behind Negi.

"What a lovely speech that was. In fact, Konoka, you almost made _me_ cry, and that's very hard to do. And you two look so cute together! Who says young love is worthless? They can't be right."

Everyone's eyes shot to the figure standing in the window. It was a young girl with long, golden hair. She appeared to be wearing a long, tattered grey cloak about her, such that it covered almost her entire body. She jumped off the windowsill onto the floor next to Negi. In doing so, her cloak fluttered open momentarily.

"Evangeline! What are you doing here? And why aren't you wearing clothes?!" Negi questioned, almost getting a nosebleed.

The vampiress merely waved the question off and reached for an empty cup. "Because I was hot, stupid. It's nice to feel the cool breeze against my skin once in a while." She poured herself a cup of tea and sat at the corner of the table between Konoka and Negi, forcing Negi to slide closer to Nodoka, who didn't seem to mind. For a few moments, everyone sat staring at Evangeline who simply sipped her tea with her eyes closed, enjoying the flavor.

Finally, Asuna spoke up. "Um… Eva-chan? Why are you here? It's not like you to come bursting into people's houses, so what's up?"

Glaring at Asuna over her cup, Evangeline growled. She set her cup down and spoke. "That's a stupid comment. Of course it's like me to do that, I'm an evil vampiress. I do that stuff all the time!" She tossed her head to the side with attitude. "Honestly!"

Veins popped in Asuna's head. "Fine! Whatever! Just tell us what you're doing here."

Evangeline shot a sideways look at Asuna. "We have a situation." She turned her head back to address them properly. "There's something, or someone, here on campus that shouldn't be. I don't know who, and I don't know what they're doing. But they're not normal, that's for sure."

"Has the headmaster been notified?" Negi was crouching, ready to spring into action. He could sense the others tensing as well.

"No time. Whoever's here is quick. I sensed him just a few minutes ago at the edge of campus and by now he's almost made it here to the dorms." Evangeline stood, not caring to keep her cloak fully closed. Negi and the others stood as well.

"He's at the dorms already? What's he after Eva-chan?" Asuna asked while she adjusted the harisen on her back.

"It's hard to tell, but it must be someone here in the dorms. Is anyone alone?"

Negi concentrated on the floor. Because he was away so often, he had lost track of who was attending class and who wasn't. Luckily the girls knew.

"Naba Chizuru said she was going on a family trip this week." Nodoka offered. Asuna jumped in right on top of her.

"That's right! Ayaka had some business she had to attend to out of the country." She said with a raised finger.

"Ayaka and Chizuru, huh?" Eva considered. "That means…"

Suddenly they heard glass breaking, and a blood curdling scream. At once, they knew who it was.

"Natsumi!"

Negi was the first to burst through the door to Natsumi's room. He stopped, battle-stance ready in the entryway.

"Natsumi-san! Are you alright?" Negi barely got the words out before he froze.

The girls all came running through the door behind him, with Setsuna leading the way and Nodoka bringing up the rear. They stopped dead in their tracks as they saw who had broken the window. There was a young man standing daringly in the center of the room, holding Natsumi hostage close to his body with his hand over her mouth. He had long grey hair and wore a grey, high collared suit. His eyes were black, or so very dark blue that they appeared black. Negi couldn't believe what he was seeing. Confused, he lowered his guard slightly.

"Fate? What are you doing here? Why did you break into Natsumi-san's room? What are you doing with her?"

For a moment, no one spoke. The only sound was Natsumi's crying against her captive's hand. Negi didn't understand what was going on. He thought he and Fate had come to an understanding. Fate had even taken over as teacher of class 3-A, so why would he attack one of their students all of the sudden? It didn't make sense. Then the boy scoffed at him.

"Fate? You mean that spineless fool Tertium?" A _tsk_ escaped the boy's mouth. "Don't lump me in with that weakling."

"What are you saying?" Negi asked emphatically. Evangeline spoke up from behind him.

"Boya! If you stopped running your mouth and used your brain for a change, you'd figure out that that boy isn't who you think he is."

Negi gritted his teeth, but after a quick inspection, he found that Evangeline was right. "If you aren't Fate, then who are you?! Tell us!"

The boy stared flatly at Negi and his comrades, seemingly unphased by Negi's shouting. The mysterious grey-clad boy then raised his free hand to push some hair out of his face and raised his eyes to the ceiling. Releasing a laggardly breath he addressed them.

"Yes, well, you see, I don't really want to tell you my name. So I won't." The boy brought his free hand around to grasp Natsumi around the waist. "In fact, I don't feel like talking any more to you at all. So I am going to take this girl and leave."

Negi's eyes sharpened at the boy's threat. He shifted his feet, ready to give chase. "What did you say? You're not taking Natsumi-san anywhere!"

"Oh really?" Blue-black eyes stared Negi down. "Watch me."

His figure blurred and vanished with a ripping sound and he and Natsumi were gone. Negi blinked, then gritted his teeth. _His Shundo is fast. So fast I couldn't see him move._ His thoughts were quickly reiterated by Asuna.

"He's gone! He vanished! I couldn't see him move at all!"

"Negi-kun! He took Natsumi-chan!" Konoka was bouncing up and down, obviously distraught. "We have to save her!"

Evangeline spoke up from the doorway—it seemed she hadn't moved a muscle since she got to Natsumi's room. "He hasn't gotten far yet. It seems his extreme speed can only come in bursts."

Negi looked back at his master and nodded curtly. "I figured as much. Master, where is he now?"

"The field behind the dorm, just out the window." Negi turned to move, but Evangeline wasn't finished. "Boya! I'm leaving him to you. Take care of him, or I will kill you myself. Don't think for an instant that I won't suck out every ounce of blood from your scrawny body if you fail."

Despite his face going white, Negi smiled, steeling himself. "Of course, master." He turned to look at his partners. "Asuna-san, Setsuna-san, follow me."

He didn't even wait for them to reply before he disappeared with a whipping sound.

Just as Negi left, Konoka watched Asuna turn to Nodoka. "Let's go Honya-chan." Asuuna lifted the blue-haired girl with ease and jumped out the broken window after Negi.

"Ojousama. Please." Setsuna held her hand out to Konoka, who looked at it before accepting it.

"Okay, Secchan." She spoke softly.

Setsuna lifted her off her feet, jumped lightly onto the windowsill, and out into the night.

Different emotions struggled inside Konoka. She knew one of their classmates and friends was in grave danger, but she thought they had moved past Setsuna calling her ojousama. Before Setsuna jumped from the dorm window, Konoka took one last look at Evangeline. _Didn't that change with the distilling? Isn't that what you said Eva? Why is she still calling me ojousama? It's not fair…_ Then she lost sight of Evangeline as her knight carried her through the cool night air. _But… It's not important now. What Secchan calls me isn't as important right now as saving Natsumi-chan. _With a sense of renewed purpose Konoka balled a fist and raised it in front of her face. _We have to save Natsumi-chan from that boy!_

"What's wrong, Kono-chan?"

Surprised, Konoka looked up at Setsuna who was looking back at her curiously. Slightly embarrassed, she shook her head. "Nothing Secchan. Just hurry! We have to save Natsumi-chan!"

Shutting the door behind her, Evangeline strode along the hallway of the dorm back to Negi's room. _I can't believe the old man almost made me live in these cramped, hideous rooms! I might just have to kill him for even suggesting it all those years ago. Nagi too, that bastard_._ Damn them. Damn them all!_

She reached Negi's room and flung the door open with a bang. After calming down, she sat at the low table in the spot Negi had vacated, filling her tea cup. There was nothing but darkness beyond the open window behind her. Absently, she stirred some sugar cubes into her tea with her finger.

"He's certainly is fast, and strong. I hope you're ready for him, Setsuna."

End Chapter 18.

Author's Note: And that was Chapter 18! I hope you enjoyed it! I have received some good feedback from several of you who have followed _Barriers_, which is mainly been focused on exploring Setsuna's darker side, and her past. Don't worry, there will be plenty of exploring! I also wanted to incorporate a few elements of new power for her as well, however, so if the whole Bleach-like fighting stuff isn't your cup of tea, I'm sorry for that. Regardless, thank you for reading and supporting _Barriers_!

Also, before you curse my grave and call me an ignoramus, I know I didn't use "anata" correctly. That was intentional. Japanese do not use pet names the way Americans do, so I decided to be creative. "Anata," which translates to "you" in English can be used with a certain sense of admiration or affection behind it. In fact, wives sometimes say it to their husbands. I just took it one step further, using it to show the feeling behind what Konoka was saying. If you still don't like it, you can message me and we can have a discussion about it. For the rest of you, thank you for your flexibility.

As always, thank you for reading, and in the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19.

Asuna landed with a grunt on the soft grass of the field behind the dorm building. Despite her intensified training regimen, she wasn't used to jumping from three stories up, especially with another person in her arms. She set Nodoka down quickly and scanned the field for any sign of Negi or the strange boy. Full night had set in, and the moon was hidden behind overcast skies. Luckily, several lights were on in the dorm rooms which cast a small glow onto the lawn, so there was at least a little light.

"Asuna-san, over there!"

Asuna turned to where Nodoka was pointing and saw Negi standing a few paces away from a large tree. This particular tree was jutting out of the small hill in the middle of the field. The boy who looked like Fate was also near the tree, with one arm still grasping Natsumi's waist, keeping her tight against his right side. A black piece of cloth was obstructing her mouth, silencing her cries. The two boys were facing off and staring each other down. Asuna didn't waste any time in running over to them, with Nodoka right on her heels. The girls made it within earshot in time to hear the boy speak to Negi.

"You are too persistent. I had hoped I made myself clear, but if not I will repeat myself. I am leaving, and I am taking this girl with me."

Negi responded defiantly. "You're not taking her anywhere. She is my student and I'm supposed to protect her!"

As Asuna caught up to Negi, and took her rightful place beside him, she saw he had a determined look on his face. She reached behind her and pulled the harisen from her back. She put two fingers through the small triangular loop at the bottom of the harisen's hilt and begun to spin the oversized fan violently about her fingers. The giant paper blade made a whirring sound through the night air as it rotated faster than the eye could see. She put on a confident smile as she addressed the unknown abductor.

"And we're her classmates! There's no way we'd let some weirdo like you take her!" Asuna slipped her fingers out of the loop and caught the swirling harisen backhanded. She swung it down hard away from her body. As it swung, the weapon's composition changed, heavy paper becoming solid steel. At the swing's nadir, Asuna's true weapon was manifest: the giant blade of _Ensis Exorcizans_ gleamed in all its glory.

With a whooshing sound, a winged Setsuna touched down on Negi's other side. Konoka nearly jumped down as Setsuna folded her wings back into her body. Asuna's chocolate-haired roommate stomped the ground where she stood, looking indignant. "That's right! Let her go!"

The boy took a moment to size up his opposition, each person in turn, then lifted a finger to point lazily at each one of them, starting with Nodoka. "Let me see here: a librarian, a newsboy, a child teacher, a hanyou, and a princess. Do you really think lowly people like you could defeat me?"

Asuna was stunned. _How could he possibly know that?_ She then had a realization. "Hey wait! A NEWSBOY?!" Veins popped in her forehead. "Oh you're definitely getting beaten up now!" She raised her sword and was about to charge when Negi raised a hand to block her path.

"Stop Asuna!" Negi gave her a look before turning his head to the boy. "Fake Fate-san, you obviously think very highly of yourself. What do you want with Murakami-san? If we truly are so much lower than you, why won't you tell us who you are?"

"No need. None of you are even worthy of knowing my name." They boy reached up and pushed his grey hair out of his face. "I will only say it once more, I am leaving and—"

"Adeat!"

Something glowed to Asuna's right and she turned to see Nodoka summoning her artifact. A brilliant light surrounded Nodoka, nearly blinding Asuna. When the intense light faded, a large book floated in front of the shy girl. Her uniform remained largely unchanged, except she was now sporting a bunny-shaped backpack. Asuna recognized the gravity defying book as _Diarium Ejus_, a most powerful artifact. It had the power to read people's minds. The only problem was that it required the user to speak the name of the person in question. _Luckily, Nodoka has a trick up her _sleeve, she thought with a grin.

Nodoka reached behind her back, and slipped her hand into a pocket of her bunny backpack. From within, she pulled out a small silver object. It resembled a full-finger ring that had the shape of a talon on one end and a set of wings on the other, with the eye of a serpent in the middle. It was _Comptina Daemonia_, an artifact she had found in her exploits with the bounty hunters in the magical world. She quickly slipped the ring on and pointed it hesitantly, but defiantly at the grey-haired boy.

"Excuse me, but I have to ask you something. Fake Fate-san, _what is your name_?!"

The boy only looked at Nodoka. His expression remained completely unchanged, as unanimated as it had been before she asked. Asuna had to smile as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"We've got you now! As soon as Nodoka gets your name, this is OVER!"

The ring artifact sparkled and flashed. Nodoka's arm moved and the artifact's claw began to scratch letters of light into the night sky.

S

E

P

T

I

M

U

S

Nodoka gasped. Asuna scratched her head. "Septimus? What kind of name is that?" Confused, Asuna turned to Negi, whose eyes widened at the sight of the name.

"Septimus? That can't be possible…" Negi was talking to himself. He spun around to face the grey-haired boy. "Are you really the _Seventh_ Averruncus?!"

It was then that Asuna made the connection. "Averruncus? Like Fate? But…not?" She asked aloud, looking around for confirmation. It appeared that Konoka was equally perplexed.

"But… but… I thought all the other Fates died. Fate was the only Fate left. So who is this guy?" She was flailing her arms about trying to make sense of the situation. Asuna looked back to Negi, who was balling both hands into fists. When he spoke his voice was hard.

"All six of the previous Averrunci were made by the Mage of the Beginning, but he's dead. So where did you come from?"

The boy shifted on his feet, standing more erect than previously. "You make assumptions you should not. In any case, knowing my name will not help you defeat me."

Asuna was getting angrier by the second. "We're making assumptions? I think you're the one who's making assumptions, idiot." She turned to Nodoka and pointed a finger at the grey-haired boy. "Honya-chan! Show him what you can really do!"

Nodoka shifted on her feet nervously, but nodded. She put her left hand up to the floating book and opened it. She called out the boy's name. "Septimus!"

A second passed and nothing happened. Then suddenly Nodoka gasped, stepping back, covering her mouth.

Asuna jumped at her gasp and moved to see what was wrong. When she saw what was in the open pages of the _Diarium Ejus_ she knew.

"The pages! They're black! Completely black, with no words at all!" Asuna looked over the book at the boy and scowled. "What did you do, you coward!"

Their adversary barely reacted, not even blinking at the question. "Coward you say? I know not what you mean."

Several veins popped out on Asuna's forehead. "You heard me, coward! You did something to Honya-chan's book and now she can't see your thoughts!" In frustration she rounded on her friend. "Negi, what's going on?!"

Much to Asuna's dismay, it didn't appear that Negi had any answers. He spoke, but his words were directed to Septimus, not her. "I don't know what you are or where you came from, but I'm going to save Natsumi-san and if you try to stop me, I will be forced to hurt you." Negi stared the boy down, but he did not relinquish. "Very well, here I go!"

Setting his feet, Negi raised his right arm and faced his open palm at Septimus. He gripped his right forearm with his left hand and braced himself. Then he started his incantation.

"_Veniant Spiritus Aeriales Fulgurientes!_" Wind began to circle around his hand, massing next to his palm. The swirling wind bore flashes of lightning, streaking out violently._ "Cum Fulguratione Flet Tempestas Austrina_!" The swirling wind turned into a raging gale that Asuna had to shield herself from. Streams of concentrated wind spiraled from Negi's palm, coursing away from his body. The crackle of lightning filled the night air. Asuna recognized this spell. She smiled; there was no way Septimus could survive it. She heard Negi shout the name of her favorite move of his.

"JOVIS TEMPESTAS FULGURIENS!"

Blasting wind laced with jagged ribbons of lightning shot from Negi's palm with all the fury of the king of the Greek gods. It was heading straight for the grey-haired boy's heart. Momentarily, Asuna panicked that the blast was going to hit Natsumi as well, but quickly noticed that Negi's "Tempest" was different than when she saw it last. It looked… more concentrated than it had been before, but also more powerful. _Where does Negi find the time to work on his spells with all that we have going on anyway? Doesn't matter, with that attack,_ _that arrogant bastard's done for, for sure!_ Asuna thought. She watched as the boy merely looked at his imminent demise.

Suddenly, Septimus raised his free hand and swiped it through the air in front of him. As his hand moved, a swath of blackness ripped through the still night air with the same noise as when he had disappeared from the dorm room. The blackness widened, becoming a vertical, eye-shaped, gaping maw of darkness that blocked his chest, so black that Asuna couldn't see through it to his body. Just as Septimus began to let his hand fall, Negi's attack reached it. The wind and lightning connected with the blackness, but instead of pushing through, they seemed to be absorbed by it. The entire "Tempest" was swallowed by the darkness. When the last of it plunged in, the maw snapped shut. There was nothing but stillness. Septimus still stood, unphased and utterly unscathed.

"WHAT!" Asuna couldn't believe it. JOVIS TEMPESTAS was one of Negi's most powerful attacks. In fact it _was_ his most powerful ranged attack, and Septimus blocked it like it was nothing. _How could he possibly…?_ She turned to Negi, who was gritting his teeth. "What the hell did he do? Was it some sort of magic cancellation, like mine?"

Negi shook his head slowly, still focused on Septimus. "No. When you cancel my magic I can feel the essence of the magic dissipating—vanishing like it was never there. Whatever he did…I could still feel the spell. It felt like it was going right through the spot where he was standing. No, I think it's something completely different from your magic cancellation."

"I agree." The whole time Setsuna had been silent, quietly analyzing the situation. Finally, she spoke up. "Whatever he used wasn't cancelling Sensei's magic, and it wasn't a barrier either."

"You're right Setsuna-san." Negi looked frustrated. It wasn't often that he encountered an enemy he couldn't understand. Asuna whipped around to Septimus.

"You bastard! What did you do?!"

The grey-haired boy had a blank look on his face. "The Averrunci you met previously, do you remember their abilities? Earth, wind, fire, water. The previous Averrunci all controlled one of the four elements. That was their weakness."

"Weakness? Septimus-san, what do you mean?" Nodoka questioned.

"What I mean is that each of the previous constructs, the Averrunci, were specialized for one form of battle. I do not share that weakness." Septimus raised his free hand to the level of his shoulder. It looked like he was about to touch something unseen in front of him. He moved his hand down in a straight line, and the ripping noise resounded through the night once again. Just like the last time, a swath of blackness opened up, creating a gaping hole of nothingness that extended with the movement of his hand. "You see, I, the seventh Averruncus, am altogether different. You might have noticed by my name. I was not created 'Septimum,' which would have reflected the failings of the previous Averrunci, but rather as 'Septimus.' I am the new meaning of Averruncus, the new generation. As such, I have been granted the ability to control not just one element imbued in our existence, but the very fabric that comprises it." He let his hand fall to his side, but this time the blackness did not disappear.

The sound of silence permeated the night air.

"You still look confused." Septimus said. "I will explain further. You see, our entire universe is comprised of a substance. There was once a famous scientist that called it space-time. It is, in essence, a fabric. Threads of space cross-woven with threads of time. The way objects interact with this fabric is how we get physical phenomenon like gravity, acceleration. It's very simple."

The whole time Septimus was talking, Asuna was struggling to understand what he was saying. His last comment was the straw that broke the camel's back. "Simple my ass! No one knows what you're talking about, idiot!"

"Asuna, calm down!" Negi scolded. He was still studying Septimus, but he shot her a look that told her to cool off. "It's no use to get riled up because you don't understand what he's talking about. If you care so much, I'll explain it to you later."

"Like hell you will! Don't talk to me like _I'm_ the idiot!"

The ripping sound tore through the night and Septimus was suddenly right between them, still holding Natsumi against his body. "Children, children, please. All is well." He turned his head to Asuna. "In the end, you do not have to understand my powers to be destroyed by them."

"You bastard!" Asuna sliced at him with her sword, but with another ripping sound he was gone.

"Asuna-san, behind you!" Nodoka shouted, but Asuna didn't have time to react. She felt a blunt pain erupt in her side, and she heard a sickening cracking noise. She fell to her knees, overcome.

"Damn it!" Asuna moved her hand to the site of the blow to assess the damage. It hadn't broken the skin, but she would bet that the cracking noise was one of her ribs breaking. Maybe more than one. "Damn you, you—!" Her sentence cut off as deep pain radiated from her side.

"Asuna-san! Are you alright?!" A few meters away, Negi was grappling with Septimus, but all of his attention was on her. Even in dangerous situations, he was always so concerned for her. _It's really not the time for that Negi… _Weakly, she tried to give him a reassuring grin.

"I'm fine. This guy's pretty fast. He's strong too. Be careful Negi—"

She heard the ripping sound too late. Before she could finish her sentence, Septimus appeared in front of her. He brought his foot up in a massive kick that connected with her jaw. Excruciating pain flurried through her head as she was sent flying through the air. She had one thought before she lost consciousness. _Negi—save me._

* * *

"ASUNA-SAN!" Negi could only watch as his partner landed on the ground limply. He waited for a moment but she didn't move. Frightened, he flashed over to her with _Shundo_, but was blocked halfway by Septimus. Negi broke off his _Shundo_, and used his momentum to throw a heavy punch at the grey-haired boy. Septimus merely held up his free hand and caught the punch without so much as flinching. Snarling, Negi glared at him. "You! Why did you kick her? She was defenseless!"

"Her lack of defense doesn't concern me. What does concern me is your lack of focus." He turned his head to look at Asuna's unconscious body. "That girl, the one you call Asuna. She is weak. You cannot waste your time on her. Rushing to save her abases your honor."

Negi shouted at him with his teeth bared. "Honor?! You talk of honor and yet you were the one to kick her midsentence! You," Negi pushed against his hand with his fist "_you_ have no honor!"

"Adeat!"

Negi took a quick glance towards Asuna and found Konoka by her side, artifacts in hand. _Thank you Konoka. I'll leave her in your care._ He looked back into Septimus's cold eyes. "I'll make you pay for hurting my friends!"

Jumping back a distance, close to Nodoka and Setsuna, Negi reached his arms behind his back. He extended the first two fingers on each hand toward the ground. Small jets of wind blew from his fingers into the ground as he swept his arms to the front of his body, creating a circle of upturned ground around him. "_Flans Paries Venti Vertentis!"_ Originating from the circle, wind began to spin around Negi's feet. Down from the clouds descended a tornado, blocking the three of them off from the outside world. _I have to hurry_, he thought. "_Wall of Churning Wind" can only last so long, and I'm going to need the energy for this next attack._ As he was finishing his thought, Negi felt a hand grab is arm.

"Negi-sensei! Is it a good idea to leave Konoka-ojousama and Asuna-san out there with the enemy?" Setsuna looked worried, fingering her blade's hilt behind her shoulder with her free hand. Her anxiousness wasn't to be unexpected, seeing as Septimus had taken Asuna out in two blows. Negi turned to her and spoke quickly.

"Setsuna-san, there isn't much time. I'm asking you to trust me."

Setsuna's upper lip quivered in apprehension, but she eventually bowed her head. "Yes, of course Sensei. I trust you."

"Nodoka-san, you and Setsuna-san need to stay here and not move. I'll make sure this Averruncus doesn't hurt any more of my students!" He gave both girls a determined smile before looking away.

Negi raised his hand and faced his palm towards the sky. "_Agite, tenebrae abyssi, ensis incendens_." A flame burst to life above Negi's hand, growing from a small ember to a flame that engulfed his palm. "_Et incendium caliginis umbrae inimicitiae destruncionis ultionis_" The fire turned from bright red-orange to deathly black, outlined by blood red. The intensity of the flame increased. "_Incendant et me et eum, sint solum incendentes._" The black flames became a raging torrent that swirled and roared through the night. "_INCENDIUM GEHENNAE!_" An inferno of fire surrounded Negi's arm, burning with the intensity of the sun. Even the air seemed near melting.

Suddenly, just before the conflagration released, Negi condensed it. "Stagnet!" The black flame spun into a ball of darkness, violently shaking and convulsing. With a glint in his eye, he crushed the ball of flame magic with his palm. "Complexio!" His hand was left smoking and glowing, while black flames burst to life in the sky around him. "Supplementum pro… ARMATIONE… SIM FABRICATUS AB INCENDIO!"

Negi could feel his entire body change as the magic of _Incendium Gehennae_—the Hellfire Conflagration—coursed through it. His blood felt like it was boiling, his flesh about to melt off his skin. But, he could also feel his muscles strengthen. It was as if each individual fiber was aflame with energy, nearly pushed to the breaking point. He knew _Magia Erebea_ was dangerous, but it was the quickest way to put an end to Septimus. Quickly, he reached his hand out and swiped it through the air, cancelling the tornado of wind magic that surrounded them.

It appeared that Septimus hadn't moved. Clearly, he was interested in what Negi was up to. When Septimus's eyes finally found him, Negi could see them widen momentarily, before he adopted his featureless expression once again.

"It's over Septimus." Negi said. "There's no way you can escape."

With a _wwsh_ sound Negi appeared in front of Septimus. Even though his current form of _Magia Erebea_ wasn't as fast as ultimate speed form, it was still faster than his normal _Shundo_. He launched a left-handed punch at Septimus's face, hoping to catch him off guard. It looked like it was going to connect.

Until he saw Septimus raise his hand in a fraction of a second. As his hand was moving up, the sky tore open with a rip. An ovular gap appeared in the path of Negi's punch, but this time it wasn't black. The scene in the rip looked exactly like the space directly behind Septimus—as if in that oval, he didn't exist at all. There was no time to reign in his punch. Negi cursed under his breath.

His forward momentum carried him through the hole. Before he knew it, he landed with a tumble on the ground on other side of Septimus. Shaking off his anger, Negi reasoned out what Septimus had done. _He must have created two rips in space—one behind him and one in front of him—and then connected them. I fell into one and came right out the other. And he's left without a scratch. Damn!_

Septimus casually turned to address Negi, who rose to one knee. "_Magia Erebea_. Also known as Dark Magic. Quite an impressive skill. However, it is simply ineffective. I am sure you figured out the extent of my powers by now. The frightening truth is, I am untouchable."

Negi clenched his jaw. There had to be some way of defeating him, he just needed to figure out what it was. The problem was that it probably involved greater speed, in order to get a hit in _before_ he could move to create the rip in space. But _I already have Incendium Gehennae equipped, so I can't use my lightening form… There has to be some other way!_

"Negi-sensei!" Negi heard Setsuna's voice on the other side of Septimus. "Let me face him. You get Konoka-ojousama and the others to safety." He looked past Septimus, to Setsuna. She had her new black sword drawn, her eyes sharply focused on the grey-haired boy.

"No Setsuna-san, I don't want to put you in danger."

"Think about it Sensei! If you stay and fight, then we all stay in danger. If you leave and take the others with you then I'm the only one he can hurt. That, and…" She looked at Negi confidently. "I can take this guy."

Negi didn't like it, but he knew Setsuna had a point. He simply nodded. Deactivating his _Magia Erebea_, he flashed over to Nodoka and picked her up in his arms. Then he flashed to Konoka and Asuna.

Konoka was still healing Asuna with her artifacts, _Flabellum Euri_ and _Flabellum Australe_. Brilliant light emanated from the fans, casting over Asuna's body, obscuring her from view. "Konoka-san, has Asuna-san regained consciousness yet?"

A hand shot out of the light and grabbed Negi by the collar and Asuna pulled her torso out of the light. "I'm fine Negi. Let's get out of here." The light from Konoka's fans faded as she put them away. Asuna looked tired, but from the look in her eye, Negi could tell that she knew what was bothering him. "You heard Setsuna, we have to leave it to her and get these two to safety."

"Yes I know, but—"

Asuna barked at him, her eyes hard but emotional. "No buts Negi! Setsuna can handle it. If you really care about her, believe in her!"

"Get going Sensei!" Setsuna yelled emphatically.

Negi knew what he had to do. He took one last look towards his brave student. _Setsuna, be careful._

With a nod to Asuna, he flashed away from the field with Nodoka in his arms. Away from the field, away from the danger, away from his student. These choices were never easy.

End Chapter 19.

* * *

Author's Note: Thus, Chapter 19. I really hope you enjoyed reading this! I'm sorry to all of you that were expecting to see Setsuna's new powers in this chapter. I started writing this chapter and so much stuff came out, that I reached an entire chapter's worth of material before I even got to Setsuna's part in the battle! BUT, never fear! Chapters 20 and 21 will definitely showcase Setsuna against Septimus. How will she ever to be able to beat him when he can alter SPACE?! You will just have to read and find out!

If you ever want to talk about anything or comment anything involving Barriers, feel free to leave a review on this page, or send me a PM. I KNOW you all can write reviews, even on mobile devices, so you really have no excuse! Hahaha. If you feel so motivated, just check in with how you're feeling about the story. It is my utmost goal to write to the fans, so if you feel like I'm not incorporating some aspect well enough, communicate with me and we can talk about it. Thanks again for reading, and in the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20.

Septimus watched the emotional young mage from Wales disappear into the night. Once he was out of sight the grey-haired boy flicked his eyes leftward. The arrogant sword girl Septimus had struck down earlier had started moving again. Apparently, she had been healed enough to flee. She leaned over to pick up the girl with the strange, oriental folding fans. This sword girl, Asuna, wasn't nearly as fast as the boy teacher as she ran across the field, but that didn't concern Septimus. Only one obstacle remained in the way of completing his mission. He looked down at the short-haired girl still struggling against his body. _Hmph. I can't believe this girl is worth all of this trouble. No matter. She is of some use._

He refocused his attention on the female hanyou. She looked fairly harmless—almost like a normal middle school girl that happened to be holding a sword—but Septimus knew she had more secrets hidden away than just her wings. There was a cold confidence about her that told him so. He reached up and pushed back some of the hair that had fallen in his face._ Sadly, it is not enough._

"You there, swordswoman. I am not one for meaningless talk, but I thought it only fair to tell you this: you are no match for me. Knowing that, however, will not change the outcome of our encounter. The unfortunate truth is that, unless you flee now, you will die here. By my hand."

The girl tightened her two-handed grip on the sword. Her brow furrowed before she spoke. "I'm not about to let that happen. You are a formidable foe, of that I am certain. Even Negi-sensei could not touch you. That alone means that you are, to some degree, stronger than any of the enemies he has faced so far. It is enough to make me shudder." The girl's words spoke of fright, but in her voice Septimus could hear only confidence bordering on arrogance. He could tell she was simply talking down to him to lower his guard. _A foolish strategy_.

"Your pathetic attempts at flattery are useless. You are not going to be able to touch me either."

Then, in spite of what he had just told her, the girl actually started to laugh, at least mildly. "I am not trying to flatter you. The truth is, I cannot touch you. I have no doubts about that."

Septimus yawned. He was getting rather tired of the girl's nonsense. _I absolutely hate it when people talk just to stall their demise._

"But I don't need to touch you."

The sword girl readied her fighting stance. She released her left hand from the sword's hilt and stooped slightly with her right leg out in front of her and her sword arm held across her body. The black blade of her sword pointed back behind her. She rested her free hand against the back of the blade. Her eyes were closed as she breathed deeply. As she let the breath out slowly, she swiped her hand down the back side of the sword. At its tail end she snapped her eyes open and shouted.

* * *

The attacks came one after another. Steel clashed against steel as barrages of blows forced Setsuna back steadily. It was all she could do to defend herself against Sicarius's merciless strikes. She hadn't found an opening since he had lunged at her. Every time she thought she had one, he adjusted his stance instantly to close it.

_This is impossible! He's not creating any openings. I can't get a clear shot at him. How am I going to land a blow on him? _She struggled over the problem while parrying a slash from the left. Suddenly her eyes glinted in the diffuse light of the forest. _I've got it!_

Setsuna jumped back a distance between his swings of Yunagi. Sicarius looked at her askance.

"Silly girl. You can't just jump away and escape this fight!" He lunged at her again. Just as Setsuna expected, he started his attack with his sword raised above his head, leaving his chest completely exposed. However, she knew not to take the obvious opening, he would be expecting that. So she let him come.

Sicarius was closing in fast. He needed two more steps to come within striking distance. She tightened her hold on her sword's white hilt. Two became one, but still she didn't move. He took the final step. Yunagi, her own sword, came crashing down towards her. In the last instant before it struck she vanished from the spot she was standing. The sound of flapping wings mixed with the sound of Sicarius's battle cry to fill the forest.

Blood spurted out of Sicarius's body along a slash that ran the width of his back. He fell to one knee, stunned. He reached around to his back and felt the blood seeping out along the cut. Standing, he wiped his back to stop the bleeding, though a deep scar remained. He turned to face Setsuna, who was standing behind him with snow-white wings unfurled. He cocked his head and gave her an unreadable grin.

"That was a nasty surprise. Tell me, what did you do exactly?"

Setsuna flicked her sword away from her body to get the blood off the blade. "You are too strange. I injure you, and then you want me to tell you how I did it, even though you know _exactly_ what happened."

He only stood there grinning.

Setsuna let out a short whistle of a sigh. "Fine. I needed to create an opening, so I let you come at me the way I knew you would, with your sword above your head. But I'm not stupid enough to take the first opening. So I let you think you were going to make contact. Right before Yunagi cut me I used my wings to enhance my speed. I got behind you. The slice you just healed was the result of my attack."

"Impressive." Sicarius stood and propped Yunagi against his shoulder. "I didn't know you could use your wings that way. Unfortunately, now that I know that, you probably won't get me twice." He started laughing wildly.

Setsuna was beginning to be more than slightly irritated with the man standing before her in the empty forest. "It doesn't matter if I can hit you again or not. All I need to do is figure out the keyword right?"

The laughter stopped. With a shrug of his shoulders and a wave of his hand, Sicarius spoke. "Well, yeah, I guess. But if you don't try to hit me, this isn't going to be any fun." Sicarius reached up and rubbed his brow with the back of his hand. Then, he snapped his fingers. "I know! I'll give you a hint. It's only fair, since you sliced me up just now. Now listen close, I'm only going to say this once: it's the first thing I said to you."

Setsuna cocked her head in thought. It seemed pretty easy, she just had to remember the first thing he had said. The problem was that she couldn't remember exactly what that was. _Does he mean the first thing he said during our battle? Or the first thing he said when we got to this place?_ She puzzled over it for a moment before something surfaced in her memory. Immediately, she had to put her hand up to her mouth to stop from giggling.

"Really Sicarius? That's kind of a silly activation keyword. I mean really, it sounds kind of stupid."

Sicarius's seemed offended. "What?! It is not silly, or stupid! How could you say such a thing?!"

Setsuna waved at him dismissively. "Oh really? How silly would I look if I was in the heat of battle, with my life hanging in the balance, and I had to shout out '_WELCOME_!' to save myself?" Her giggling turned into outright, doubled-over laughter that nearly took her breath away. When she finally calmed down, she straightened to look at Sicarius, who was straight faced.

"That's not the keyword."

Setsuna blinked in confusion. She was relieved that _welcome_ wasn't the keyword, but… "What? But that was the first thing you said when we got here. In fact, that's the first thing I remember you saying at all."

The steel blade of Yunagi glinted in the half-light of the forest as Sicarius moved to adopt his battle stance. "You can't remember? Well then, maybe I have to force it out of you!"

He lunged at her with more force and voracity than before, striking from the left, then the right. Each time the steel blades clanged together her sword shuddered, sending shockwaves up her arms. He was striking so hard she could feel each impact course through every bone in her body. As she fended off his attacks, she tried to remember what happened before she woke up in the cot in the infirmary.

_Let's see… I woke up in my bed in the dorm…_ A slash came from the right side. _And my head hurt. Why did my head hurt?_ Steel came crashing down from above. _Doesn't matter… What next? __That's right, I wanted to train at the shrine. I took Yunagi with me_. Setsuna narrowly dodged a thrust, with the blade catching and slicing through her shirt. _But it was this black blade that followed me. And…what else?_ She blocked a spinning slash, but only too late she saw his foot headed for her face. His kick connected with her chin and sent her flying backwards.

Her mind raced as her body slammed into a tree. She realized that she was no match for him when she let her instincts take over, but she needed all of her brain power focused on solving the puzzle if she wanted this to end. She barely had time to stand before Sicarius came at her with another attack.

As she went through the events of the morning, one thing always stuck out. _Why did my head hurt! It has to be that. If I can just remember why…_

Sicarius locked blades with Setsuna and a huge, sly grin broke on his face. "What's wrong Setsuna? Is this too loud for you?"

_Too loud? What…? _Suddenly, her eyes widened. _The whispering! My head hurt because of the whispering sound!_ Her eyes drilled into his with a look of evisceration.

"I remember now. You were the one whispering in my mind. You were the source of my headache!"

Sicarius pushed against her blade in an attempt to overpower her. His voice came out airy with a lethal edge. "Yes, that was me. Good of you to remember. Now, what are you going to do about it?"

Setsuna disengaged from Sicarius and jumped back. Her feet landed softly on the forest floor. She was ready.

In an imitation of her foe she held her sword arm across her body, the black blade of _Mitis Sicarius _behind her. Something in her body she couldn't explain moved her hand to the base of the back of the blade. She closed her eyes and let the strange sensation guide her movements. She slid her hand along the length of the blade. The moment her hand left the blade, a ringing sound echoed out through the forest, mixing and clashing with Setsuna's shout.

* * *

"PULL! MITIS SICARIUS!"

Setsuna's voice and the ringing of the blade echoed through the field behind the dormitory.

The night shuddered. Air and ground quaked subtly. Leaves danced on the trees, and wind blew waves in the grass. A chill ran through Setsuna's body as she felt the power of _Mitis Sicarius_ flow into her. She then felt her own strength mixing violently with that of the sword, and finally their combined spirit siphoning down into the blade. Then all went silent, dead. Setsuna looked at the sword bestowed upon her. The black blade shimmered like it had that first time in the forest. She knew that it would be over in one strike.

End Chapter 20.

* * *

Author's Note: And that was Chapter 20! I hope you enjoyed reading this short chapter and I hope it gets you excited for Chapter 21! I originally wanted this to be the chapter where we see what Setsuna's powers are, but I thought that that would be better in another chapter. This one is all about that activation keyword. If you are too extremely frustrated with how I am dragging this out to continue reading, I am sorry. Maybe you would be better off with another author who isn't so long winded. For the rest of you, thank you again for reading and I hope to hear from you. And as always, in the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21.

"PULL! MITIS SICARIUS!"

The air around Septimus seemed to quiver. Something was changing, he could feel it. He focused his awareness. Worry played no part of it. He simply needed to figure out what he had to defend against. _I do not sense any concentration of magic energy, so it must not be a ranged attack. Close combat then. How trivial._

"Come at me, if you're going to." Septimus said, "I'll even put the girl aside so you can attack with full strength—although in the end it will not matter." With a quick hit to the back of the neck he knocked the girl named Natsumi unconscious. He then carried her limp body to the tree on the hill and placed her upright against the trunk. It very nearly took Septimus effort not to shake his head at the foolish girl. "As I said before, you cannot touch me. Your fancy abilities have not changed that fact." Septimus returned to his place across from the hanyou girl and placed one hand at shoulder level. "I'm ready. Come."

The charcoal-haired hanyou placed her black sword in front of her body and held the white hilt with both hands. At first, her stare was concentrated with a touch of anger. Then it was gone, replaced with a serene calm. An image flashed around the girl's body: a raven, white as snow, but with a beak black as night, unfurling its wings for flight. At the apex of their span the wings came crashing down. The girl vanished as the sound of flight echoed through the night.

Septimus's eyes widened slightly before he caught sight of her again. _An unusual technique. Using the wings to boost fleet of foot. Ingenious, but ineffective._ Instantly, she was approaching from the right. _From her trajectory, her sword will come down at 35O east of vertical. To counter: cut one meter of threads at 65O west of vertical._ In the fraction of a second before she started to swing her sword, Septimus concentrated his magic at the tip of his index finger, creating the scalpel he used to tear the threads of space-time.

_Now._

His hand descended at an angle to counter her swing. The counter was perfectly planned: the threads of space-time would unravel along the middle of the cut, creating a connection to deep space large enough to cover his body. Her sword would slice harmlessly into the void. He would remain untouched and the poor hanyou would know her resistance was meaningless.

Time seemed to slow for Septimus as he began to cut the threads holding together the air in front of him. More accurately, time actually did slow. That was one of the effects of his attacks: when threads were cut, time acted different from space. Where space parted and unraveled, time at the spot of the cut ground to a near halt. Evaporated might be a better word to describe the phenomenon. That was the one part of his own magic that Septimus didn't understand. He probably never would.

Whether he would understand it or not did not matter to him. _As long as it works, it means little to me._ It did mean though that every time he cut space-time, every second the cut lasted seemed to extend, each one slower than the last. It really was tiresome. The worst part was that his movements did not catch up with his perception of time slowing. Only his sight and his thoughts remained in real time, which made battling all the more boring.

Threads snapped and time slowed. The familiar ripping sound followed each cut. With a mental yawn he watched the black bladed sword tear slowly through the night air toward his rip. In a few long seconds it would intersect the edge of the rip and would fall harmlessly through into deep space. _Too easy_, he thought.

Then something caught his eye. The blade appeared different than when he had seen it from a distance. It was almost…less solid. The cutting edge appeared as sharp as ever, but the spine of the blade seemed to fade into the night sky around it. _Curious. But no matter, whatever metamorphosis it has undergone is inconsequential. Useless._

The blade was near to touching the edge of the rip. Septimus let his mind wander as his hand completed the meter-long cut. _I wonder what I am going to have for breakfast tomorrow morning. I certainly hope that dreadful cook we hired isn't going to make eggs…I loathe eggs. Hopefully it will be those marvelous little pastries that I asked him to make the other day. What are the names of those things again…? Croissants. That was it. Fantastic things. I would love to have one right this minute. Instead, I'm stuck here watching this sword._

The blade touched the edge of the rip about half way down its length. The half closer to the hilt was lost behind the rip. _The top half of the sword will join it soon enough_, he thought.

But it didn't. Somehow, the rip seemed to bisect the blade and the top half stayed on trajectory. It was as if the sword were cutting right through the rip. Septimus's eyes widened in astonishment._ Impossible!_ He watched the black blade continue to descend on him and his pupils shook as he considered the implications.

_Any matter should get sucked into the rip—even magic! How is this possible! What kind of technique is this!_ Another thought occurred to Septimus as the blade swung closer. _There isn't time to dodge the blade because my reflexes are slowed. The blow will land. My chest will be sliced open. There is nothing I can do to stop it._

The next few fractions of a second seemed an eternity to Septimus as the blade bit into his flesh, tearing a gaping wound across his chest. A burst of intense pain exploded in his brain every time the blade severed a nerve connection. Blood flooded out of his body. He felt cold. And dark. Very dark.

* * *

The night was quiet. Only the sound of Setsuna softly touching down behind Septimus broke the silence. Blood ran down the length of her blade and dripped onto the ground, staining the grass red. She heard the opening in space snap shut, and a moment later the sound of Septimus falling to his knees. She didn't turn to look—she knew he would no longer be a problem. He wasn't dead, but he wouldn't be fighting back anytime soon.

"Impossible." His voice sounded weak, but there was still a cutting edge to it. "It is impossible! No matter can escape my technique!"

Setsuna bent over to wipe the blade clean on the soft grass. She didn't know if the blade could rust, but she didn't want to take any chances. Once she finished, she sheathed its length. She could hear Sicarius in her head. _Very nice work, my dear._

"You are right Septimus. No matter could ever hope to get past your defense. That is exactly why I chose to stay and fight. _Mitis Sicarius_ is not merely a sword. It has power beyond just cutting. Its first release alters the composition of the blade. The power that cut you was not steel. It was shadow."

Setsuna heard a ripping sound, but in his weakened state Septimus was too slow. She could sense him lunging at her. With wings unfurled she turned to dodge him. As Septimus flew past her she held out a foot, just catching his in the process. His trajectory changed and he slammed into the ground, digging a channel in the lawn with his shoulder as he skidded to a stop. Blood continued to seep unabated out of his chest. He struggled to prop himself up on one hand, then tore off his ruined shirt sleeves. Setsuna stood over him, with one hand on her sword hilt just in case he tried something else._ However unlikely that is…_

"Damn you, you hanyou bitch!" He was staring at her with hate in his eyes while fumbling to bandage up his wound with his sleeves. "What sorcery is this that you can cut me? Tell me. Now!" Setsuna could tell that speaking was becoming difficult for him. Soon he would no longer be a problem.

"You need to open your ears. A good soldier should always be attentive, this I have learned. You are not so, apparently, Septimus-san. As I have already stated, you were not cut by a blade of steel, but by a Shadowblade. And shadow is not matter, but a trick of light. Normally, shadow requires something to create it by blocking a source of light. _Mitis Sicarius_ does not. It generates its own shadow which replaces the blade of steel. That is why it was able to cut through your defense: my blade defies the natural order of this world."

_Just like me_, she thought.

Septimus was gritting his teeth. He stood weakly and levelled a glare at her. She hadn't expected him to be able to stand already. _He must be stronger than I had guessed. _She heightened her guard in anticipation, but he never attacked.

"I see. Your sword ignores physical laws. Hear this: you can only hope to be so lucky next time. However, rest assured that you have not begun to see the power that I possess." He took a step towards her and held his hand up to the level of her chest with fingers pointed at her. "You see, even now, you are no match for me. I could tear you in half where you stand you arrogant bitch." His voice was becoming more aggressive—filled with a maniacal excitement. "You would feel…feel the tendons holding your muscles to your bones snap as they were separated. You would _scream_ in agony as the chemical bonds keeping you together broke apart. You would die a worse death than any that have died before you!" Black eyes tore into Setsuna's body. She had never met anyone whose mind was this truly frightening. His eyes never left hers, but the intensity faded as he began to look past her, almost through her. Suddenly, he lowered his arm and turned to the side.

"But I have wasted too much time." Septimus looked over at an unconscious Natsumi with disgust in his eyes. "Keep the girl, she was of no use anyway."

Septimus raised a hand and with one swipe to his right, tore a hole in the air. The tear widened into an oval the size of a door and strange light began streaming through the rip. It looked to Setsuna as if the light was being filtered through something before hitting her eyes. Septimus stepped halfway into the rip before stopping and turning his head back to her. His lips turned up into something closer to a snarl than a smile.

"Goodbye little hanyou. I hope to see you again. Stay alive. So I can kill you."

Chills ran down Setsuna's back as he stepped through and the rip snapped shut behind him. A cool breeze swept past her, rustling the hair in her ponytail. She suddenly felt very cold. For a while she could only stand there in the field.

_Septimus… Even after my attack he was able to stand and continue to fight. His power is immense. To be able to control the bonds of the universe—it's a truly frightening power. I can't imagine what he would have done to Konoka if she was here. I must protect her from him, no matter what. She means too much to me to lose her._ Her thoughts drifted to her friend before a voice in her head shocked her out of her thoughts. She still wasn't used to Sicarius's voice in her mind.

_You fought well, girl. Very well. But don't let your thoughts cloud the present…_

Setsuna jumped to attention._ That's right!_ She thought. _Natsumi-san!_

Hastily she folded her wings into her body and ran over to Natsumi's unconscious body. She shook her to see if she would wake, but the freckled girl was out cold. Carefully, Setsuna lifted the girl in her arms and turned to head back to the dormitory. Just then, she heard a familiar voice shout out through the night.

"Natsumi! Natsumi where are you!"

In the dim moonlight of midnight Setsuna could just make out the features of Kotaro, running across the field. _I see, Negi-sensei must have found him and told him about Natsumi-san._

"Kotaro-san, over here!" Setsuna called out to him, but before she could take two steps, he was right in front of her. She had to stop abruptly so she didn't run into him—she still wasn't used to how fast his Shundo was now. She looked to his face, but his eyes were trained on Natsumi. There was no recognition on his face. It was as if he didn't realize she was unconscious. Then, his lip started to quiver and Setsuna could see tears starting to well up in his eyes.

"…Natsumi…"

He held up a quivering hand to stroke her hair and cradle her face. There was pain in his eyes, more than she had ever seen before, even considering he was over-emotional most times. For Setsuna there was no doubt: even as young as he was, he still had feelings for the girl in her arms. She could tell he feared losing her. Setsuna knew comforting others wasn't really her strong suit, but Kotaro looked like he needed it.

"Natsumi-san is alright." Setsuna said softly. "She just needs to rest. She'll wake up soon, and then she'll be good as new." He only nodded, still staring at Natsumi's freckled face in the still moonlight. Setsuna knew what he wanted—and she knew Natsumi would be safe with him.

"Kotaro-san. Here, take Natsumi-san back to her room." She extended her arms to offer the unconscious girl to him. "Keep her safe. We don't know if that boy will come back for her."

Kotaro took Natsumi from her tentatively, holding her tenderly—lovingly, against his chest. He gazed into her sleeping face for a moment more before his expression changed. He looked up at Setsuna with fire in his eyes.

"I will protect her with my life. And if whoever hurt her comes back again, I'll kill him!" The last he barked with near uncontrolled zeal, but it took only a moment for his gaze to return to Natsumi's face. He almost looked ready to kiss her before he shook out his head and locked eyes with Setsuna with his classic smirk on. "Thank you nee-san." Before she could respond, he turned and was gone.

_He has so much energy, it's a little overwhelming… At least I can trust him to protect her. _Setsuna sighed deeply and slipped her sheathed sword out of its loop. Slowly, she walked back to the solitary tree on the small hill and sat against its trunk with the sheathed sword planted upright on the ground in front of her. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the hilt. A clear vision of Sicarius in his black dress shirt, tie, and white pants appeared in her thoughts. He didn't speak though, he only gave her an unreadable look. He would know exactly why she was worried, but she still felt a need to tell him. She sighed again and spoke into the night.

"That Septimus boy. He is dangerous. I don't want him to hurt ojousama."

Sicarius was quiet for several long moments, then his voice resounded through her mind. _Your words sound light, but resolved. You are right: that boy is dangerous. But so are we. Shadowblade, the form of my first release that you used: it creates a blade of shadow that can pass through anything. It is not bound by such things as the laws of physics, nor by disruptions in it, yet it slices even solid metal like butter. Its only limitation is that, unlike a shadow cast from an object, Shadowblade cannot extend beyond the length of the original blade. Nevertheless, it can render that boy's time-space rip technique useless. And remember, that is only the first release. You have not the ability to achieve the next release, yet. But it will come in time. Fear not, silly girl. As long as you are determined, you will have strength enough to protect Kono-chan._

Setsuna, who had been listening along to Sicarius patiently, suddenly snapped open her eyes. "Hey! You don't get to call her that!"

His distinctive laugh fill her head. Another thing she was still not used to._ I am part of you now, my dear. I only address her according to how you truly feel about her. Don't forget that I am not just your sword, I am a second soul in your body, and in your consciousness. I feel what you feel… Love who you love. Hahahahaha!_

The laughter did not stop, even as Setsuna rose and started walking back toward the girls' dormitory. She tried to block out his incessant laughing as she made her way down the small hillside, but it was hard. He had to be doing it on purpose. It was really quite irritating. _You know Sicarius? You are really annoying._

* * *

Black ribbons snaked through the hall like vines of bramble, nearly blocking out the hanging chandeliers of light-orbs. There was a sour tinge to the air. A rasping laugh like the sound of crinkling dead leaves diffused through the room. Septimus hated being in the same room as the cloaked figure, but what he hated most was that laugh. It made him shudder as he walked closer toward the sound's origin. Even worse, he had to admit defeat. He stopped and kneeled, with significant difficulty because of his injuries, a small distance back from the hooded being who was, luckily, not facing him. He tried to control his sporadic breathing before speaking.

"Master, I failed to apprehend the one called Murakami Natsumi. There was…interference. A hanyou…" Septimus had tried to hide his anger, but he wasn't sure he was successful.

A voice like the crunching of gravel filled the room. "Your mission was full of import, and yet meaningless. Natsumi Murakami was not the objective. In a way she was, but also not. Failure was not achieved, yet victory eluded you." A rope of darkness shot out of the form's black cloak, headed for Septimus's chest. It hit his body with a soft glomping sound and Septimus could feel his wound being healed. It almost felt like a tainted slime was oozing over the slice and resurfacing his flesh.

The cloaked figure went on. "The hanyou has been seen. Her ability is known. Her power though, remains hidden. Septimus, your next objective will be revealed."

Septimus could never make heads or tails of what the man said. The hanyou certainly seemed like a problem, but he didn't seem concerned. In the end, it didn't matter. He was glad though when the healing was done and the vine of blackness retracted into the billowing cloak. He always felt dirty after a healing. He rose easily and bowed to the man's back.

"Yes master. The work of Cosmo Entelecheia cannot be stopped." He turned and walked out of the dim hall to a grim chorus of crumbling leaves.

End Chapter 21.

* * *

Author's Note: Chapter 21 ladies and gentlemen! As for this chapter, I hope you at least found it interesting, if not fun to read. I felt like I might have oversold _Mitis Sicarius's_ first release to some of you. I hope it wasn't too disappointing! And if it was, you're stuck with it. HA!

If you would like to contact me about this chapter or anything related to or unrelated to Barriers, feel free to write a review or send me a PM. I regularly check my mail and typically respond promptly. I would love to hear from you! Thanks as always for reading, and in the slightly annoying, but lovable words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22.

Natsumi awoke to a throbbing pain in her head. She had to blink several times for her eyes to adjust to the light. She saw the ceiling of her dorm living room—she could tell because she saw the small decorations Chizuru had put up a few days previous, fanciful but meaningless. It felt like she was on their couch, but she couldn't quite tell. She tried to tilt her head to see exactly where she was, but as soon as she tried, she felt a sharp twinge in her neck. It was gone quickly, but it was replaced with one of the worst aches she had ever experienced. She cried out in pain.

"Natsumi! What's wrong?!"

She recognized the voice. She could sense Kotaro there, kneeling by her side. Shifting her weight, she moved to look at him, but as soon as she tried to lift up, the pain in her neck returned. A gasp escaped her mouth. Kotaro's hands on her shoulders gently pushed her back to rest her head on the pillow. In that moment his face came into view. It was anxious concern mixed with youthful naïveté. He looked like he could either speak words of comfort or burst out crying, all in the same moment. As he settled her against the pillow, he looked deep into her eyes.

"You shouldn't move around right now, you might hurt your neck more."

Despite his childishness, his demeanor was rather mature. She watched him sit himself next to her on the couch. She could feel her cheeks start to heat involuntarily. She still didn't know what was wrong with her. When she spoke, her voice sounded weak.

"Kota-kun, what's going on? What…what happened to me?"

For a moment his childlike look returned, but was quickly subdued.

"I can't believe you forgot, nee-san." His teasing sounded odd coming from that face. It wasn't the face of a ten year old, but of someone older, more experienced. Suddenly, his gaze darkened. "You were kidnapped. By some kid named Septimum—or something like that. He tried to take you away."

The words sounded unreal—unbelievable. But as her eyes traced Kotaro's features, she started to remember, bit by bit. Then, for some reason the pain in Kotaro's eyes intensified. His gaze fell to his lap and he started shaking.

"Kotaro, what's wrong?"

His shaking increased, but he didn't look at her. His voice wavered as he spoke. "Negi and the others had to come save you."

Something wasn't making sense to Natsumi. She was obviously safe, if not unharmed. So why was he so mad?

"I'm safe now Kota-kun. Why are you so angry?"

"Because I wasn't there to save you!" She nearly jumped at the ferocity in his voice. When he looked up at her, there were tears falling down his cheeks. He wasn't mad, he was _sad_. His hand came up to wipe his tears away. Words seemed to tumble out of his mouth between breaks in his voice. "I wasn't there…I was training and I…Negi told me that boy had taken you and that…that Setsuna would take care of it. But I…" He looked at her for a second with unbearable pain before his head fell. "I should have been there for you."

A heavy silence filled the room. Natsumi was stunned. She was completely caught off guard that Kotaro was so broken up over her. Normally, her cheeks would have flushed a deep red, but this time, she was not embarrassed by her feelings. _He is still so young_. She carefully leaned up and put her arms around his neck. She pulled him close to her until their foreheads were touching. She whispered softly to him.

"Thank you Kotaro. Even if it was Negi-kun or Setsuna-san who saved me, I know in my heart that if you had been there, you would have done everything in your power to keep me safe. And even though you couldn't be there, you are here, watching over me. Keeping me safe when no one else stayed." She lifted his head to look in his eyes. "So don't cry Kotaro."

She couldn't quite read his expression. There was still some pain, but it was masked by relief. There was something else as well. He was giving her a deep look.

"Natsumi, I…" He shook his head out and looked away. "I still should have been there."

"That's all I need to know." She touched his cheek and turned him to face her. Without realizing it, she stared into his eyes. She had always thought his brown eyes were cute, almost like puppy dog eyes, but now they held something in them that captured her. They sparkled from the lingering tears. She could feel herself leaning closer to him. Her heart started fluttering and it jumped into her throat. _Am I really going to do this? I can't believe it—he's just a kid! But…_ She closed her eyes and leaned closer.

As she was about to kiss him, the pain shot through her neck again. She couldn't keep from crying out. _Shoot! I just messed it all up!_ Her cheeks began to heat unwantedly.

Then she felt his one hand cradle her head and the other push her shoulder back towards the pillow. She opened her eyes and saw him looking seriously and worriedly into her eyes. She thought she could still see a little shock in them as well, maybe from the attempted kiss. He rested her softly against the pillow. There was slight fluster in the way that he spoke.

"Natsumi, you're…you're still not better. Right now, we can't—." He was definitely flustered. "You need to rest." He hesitated over her for a moment. He looked like he was debating something in his head. Suddenly but gently, he grabbed her shoulders and hurriedly gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head. Unfortunately, it was really too quick to enjoy the feeling, but she tried to memorize it.

He stood up quickly and walked around to the far side of the table in their living room. She watched him flop down on one of the cushions, facing away from her, of course. Natsumi couldn't see any physical signs of embarrassment, but she could tell he was. She couldn't keep from laughing softly. His ears perked up and he turned around.

"What is it, nee-chan?"

She forgot he had terrific hearing, but maybe she didn't really care either.

"It's nothing, Kotaro. It's just, if you really like me, you'll just have to work on your kissing, that's all."

His cheeks turned a deep red and his eyes widened slightly. He turned his head back away from her. She laughed again. _He is still young, but he's cute._ Then she heard him say something she didn't expect.

"Do you remember what I said to you that night at the Gala? The night we formed our pactio?"

How could she forget? She had imagined him saying those words to her every day since then. Every time she felt lonely. Every time she felt ordinary. Every time she felt like she was not enough. She closed her eyes and recited the words she held closest to her heart. "You said that I was the most important person in the world to you."

Kotaro was silent for a time. Then he turned to face her again. There was comfort and love in his eyes, mixed with a dash of defiance. He spoke, softly and gently. "Just like then, you are the only one I have in this world, and I'm not about to let you go. I promise you, Natsumi."

* * *

Setsuna returned to Konoka's dorm room and knocked on the door. While she was walking, she had moved her sword to hang off her shoulder so it wasn't clicking against her leg. It was much more comfortable this way. And she didn't have to see it. Even if she appreciated it for her newfound power, she still didn't like it really. She immediately heard Sicarius's voice in her head. _Ouch. That stings. You know, eventually you'll have to accept me as a partner._ His laugh was unnerving. She thought purposefully so he knew she was addressing him: _No, no I do not._

She was kind of expecting Konoka to open the door, but it was Negi instead. For a moment he had a grim look on his face, but as soon as he recognized Setsuna, his disposition brightened. He looked tired though.

"Setsuna-san! You've returned!" He gave her a quick look-over. "And you're unharmed. That's splendid." He stepped back and ushered her inside. "You'll have to be a little quiet. Asuna-san is resting."

Setsuna nodded quickly and entered. She looked around the small dorm room to find that Nodoka was the only one at the table. She was studying a book that Setsuna thought looked like her artifact. The magical librarian looked up when Setsuna came in, and smiled at her. Setsuna returned the smile then looked to the right to find Asuna asleep on her top-bunk. Konoka was below, also sleeping peacefully in her bed, on top of the covers. It surprised her. She had assumed Konoka would have stayed up for her. Her mind instinctively jumped to the worse possible conclusion. _Does this mean she wasn't worried about me? She fell asleep, knowing full well that I was out risking my life for our friend? How could—_

A voice roused her from her thoughts. "Um… Actually, Setsuna-san," It was Nodoka. Setsuna turned to listen with a raised eyebrow. "Asuna-san was hurt worse than we thought. Konoka-san spent the entire time you were out healing her injuries. It exhausted her so much that by the time Asuna-san was healed, Konoka-san collapsed. Negi-kun had to lift both of them into their beds." It was like Nodoka could read her mind. _Oh wait, that's right. She can. That book on the table must be her Diarium Ejus. She was probably using it to check in on my battle._

"Thank you, Miyazaki-san. I…hadn't thought of that." She turned back to Konoka and mildly berated herself for doubting her friend. She bent down and pulled the covers out from under her. Gently, Setsuna tucked her in and, while brushing a strand of chocolate colored hair from Konoka's face, gave her a lingering kiss on the forehead. She felt a blush suffuse her cheeks—she hoped Nodoka had stopped reading that book of hers.

Setsuna straightened and turned to Negi and Nodoka. Something felt off. There was still one person unaccounted for.

"Negi-sensei, where's Evangeline-san?"

Nodoka giggled softly and Negi's face reddened a few shades.

"Ah, well… When we returned here after leaving you, we found Master Eva…" The shade of red on his face deepened, "…passed out, here at the table. She was in no condition to walk home, so I had to…put her to bed, up in my loft."

At first, Setsuna didn't know why he was blushing so much—he did the same thing with Asuna and Konoka. Then she remembered what Evangeline was—or more accurately, wasn't—wearing when she had come over unannounced earlier that evening. Setsuna briefly pictured Negi flustering over how to transport a naked, unconscious Evangeline while still attempting a gentlemanly composure. The image didn't exactly work, but it made her laugh.

"Aniki!" Through her laughter, Setsuna heard the squeaky voice of Albert Chamomile coming from the window. She looked to see Chamo standing upright on the windowsill before springboarding off the desk to the table between Negi and Nodoka. "Aniki, I tried to get ahold of the headmaster, but he was fast asleep, the old coot! And I couldn't find the big breasted lady either!"

Exhaustion quickly masked any hint of embarrassment left on Negi's face. He sighed briefly and adjusted his spectacles. "Thank you for trying Chamo. We'll just have to let them know about this incident in the morning." He turned to Setsuna and gestured for her to join them at the low table. She bowed shallowly and took her place across from Negi, while the little ermine scurried off, presumably to find somewhere soft to sleep. Setsuna took a brief moment for herself, quieting her mind and her body. Negi looked at her with eyes both heavy and contented. Despite being so young, Setsuna could see glimpses of who he might become in those eyes.

"I'm sorry I haven't said this sooner, but that was brilliant Setsuna-san! I felt so bad that I didn't stay with you to help fight, but then Miyazaki-san suggested checking in on your battle with the _Diarium Ejus_. I have to say, that technique with that black sword—it's incredible!"

Setsuna was slightly caught off guard by the praise. She wasn't used to being complimented. She raised her hand in protest and tried to stifle a blush, "Oh no, it really wasn't much. I didn't really do anything special." She looked behind her shoulder at the white hilt of her sword. "_Mitis Sicarius_…is a dangerous sword."

A stretch of silence ensued before Negi spoke up. "That boy, Septimus. He is dangerous too. To be able to render my _Magia Erebea_ completely useless… I keep thinking that if I had used _Raiten Taiso_ instead of loading _Incendium Gehennae_, I might have been fast enough to get around him. Either way, we were sure lucky this time, but now he knows about your Shadowblade. Next time we see him, he might have developed some counter measure for it. But we'll have to address that later. For now, we have to figure out what he wanted with Natsumi-san." Negi, who had been gazing off into the distance, almost introspectively, now focused his attention back on her. "Setsuna-san, you and I will present this to the headmaster tomorrow morning and then—"

He was cut off when Nodoka seemed to faint. She slumped against Negi's shoulder and he quickly grabbed her around the waist, keeping her from falling over completely. Setsuna focused her awareness, but a quick glace around the room yielded nothing out of the ordinary. She didn't sense any magical disturbance either. Negi appeared distressed until he parted Nodoka's hair. He seemed to calm down and checked her breathing by putting a hand over her chest. After a moment, he laughed quietly.

"Nodoka-chan just fell asleep. She must have been exhausted." Negi shifted slowly and carefully to cradle the sleeping girl in his arms. He stood and gazed at Nodoka's face, mostly hidden behind her violet hair. "I guess we all are." Negi looked up at Setsuna with an inviting smile. "It seems I have to put Miyazaki-san to bed now too, but you're welcome to stay here tonight, if you can find somewhere to sleep."

Setsuna blushed fiercely. Even if Negi didn't realize what his words implied, she certainly did. _No matter how much I'd like waking up next to Kono-chan, I can't imagine how upset she'd be if she found me sleeping next to her unsolicited! I just couldn't do it. _She quickly raised her hands in an X gesture. "Thank you Sensei, but I'm sorry. I need to get back to my room and check on some things. I'll see you tomorrow morning at the headmaster's office."

Negi looked slightly confused by her polite, almost vehement refusal, but he was obviously too tired to object. He simply smiled at her and wished her goodnight. He muttered under his breath that he had to find a place for Nodoka to sleep as well, as he crossed the room to the loft. Setsuna left, but not before she stole a look back at her dreaming princess. Soft lines shaped her face in the shadowed light cast on the lower bunk. A mix of enervation and longing moved Setsuna to strong emotion.

_I long for the morning already, to see the sunrise of your glowing face. Until then, my love._ Then she was out the door, softly shutting it behind her.

She started walking slowly through the hallways toward her room. Almost instantly, laughter broke out in her head. It was Sicarius.

_Hahaha! When did you start writing poetry? It's priceless, my dear. Just priceless! Ahahaha!_ She could almost see him standing there in front of her in the hallway, laughing.

The length of the day, coupled with that of the previous, finally came tumbling down on top of her. She stuck out her hand at the image of Sicarius in front of her and yelled into the hallway. "Listen you! I've had enough of your jokes at my expense! They're NOT funny! Now be quiet!"

She stormed past his imaginary figure, and headed in the direction of her dorm room. She could sense his imaginary form lag behind, then catch up to her. She even thought she could sense him rolling his eyes. What he said next seemed to confirm it.

_Jeez. Lighten up already._ He paused. The next moment, she thought she could feel his hand on her shoulder as she walked, but her brisk stride back to her room didn't break. Sicarius only said one more thing that night.

_If you really feel that way about her, then just tell her. Silly girl._

* * *

It was almost light outside. Day was just breaking. There was restlessness in the top bunk. In her sleep, Asuna was fidgeting and mumbling. Small amounts of perspiration covered her body. Several buttons on her pajama shirt had come undone, her pants were riding dangerously low, and more of her was showing than she would have liked, had she been awake to notice. She mumbled in her sleep.

"No… You can't do this…Negi… It's not right, you… I… Not yet…"

Slowly, she roused from unconsciousness into the transition state between sleep and complete cognition. Her senses slowly came to her. First was sound. She heard breathing near her head. Touch was next. She felt the warm breath against her chest, and a hand on her hip. Finally, enough stimuli reached her brain that she connected with her surroundings. She recognized the stimuli for what it was. Her eyes shot open just as she shouted, "Negi you BRAT!"

The first thing Asuna saw as she opened her eyes wasn't Negi's red-brown hair, but a swath of violet. The form next to her started shifting. It took Asuna a split second to realize that it wasn't Negi, but Nodoka Miyazaki that was sharing her bed. She quickly pulled her pajama pants up and started furiously doing up her buttons, fumbling more than once in the process. The violet-haired bookworm lifted herself to one elbow groggily, apparently unaware of what had just happened. She brought a hand up to rub her eyes.

"Um… Asuna-san? What's going on?" She looked around confused. "Where am I?"

Asuna's eyes widened in astonishment. _How could she not know?_ she thought. "You're in my bed Honya-chan!"

Asuna wasn't sure she had ever seen anyone turn the color Nodoka did just then. She started flailing her free hand hysterically and she tripped over her multiple attempts to apologize.

A sleepy voice floated to them from the loft. "What's going on?"

An impassioned and embarrassed Asuna shot a look at a still half-asleep Negi, who was leaning up from his loft futon. A few veins of anger appeared on her forehead._ Negi must be to blame for this. It's all his fault!_

"What's going on? I'll tell you what's going on!" She was nearly shouting.

She leapt from her bunk to the loft, ready to scold him to no end, when she caught sight of something that made her stop in her tracks. She couldn't comprehend what she was seeing, and it simultaneously made her heart sink, and her mind go blank.

"Why the HELL is Evangeline NAKED in your FUTON?!"

End Chapter 22.

* * *

Author's Note: Chapter 22 end. I hoped you liked this chapter! Man, lots of love in this one! I felt like Barriers had been lacking in the romance department lately, so with Septimus's defeat at the hands of Setsuna, I decided to bring some of the romance back. To those of you who only want the fighting: I think you're reading the wrong story. Anyway, thank you to all of my readers for your continued support. As always, please feel free to write a review, or to send me a Private Message if you want to chat about this chapter, or any other chapter, or aspect of the story.

Also, a shout out to **aJUGGaMILK** for some FANTASTIC insight into the story so far! Thanks man!

In the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23.

The morning had been a crazy one. At least, that was what Konoka had gathered from what Nodoka said to her on their way to class that morning. She had slept in pretty late herself, which meant that she missed all the excitement. _Healing __Asuna must have taken a lot more of my energy than I thought—I don't even remember falling asleep from it!_ In fact, she had gotten up so late that she was the only one in the room at the time. She guessed that Asuna was running late on her paper route, and that maybe Negi had gone early to talk to her grandpa. So she had thought nothing more of it. In the end, she just barely had time to brush her teeth and throw on her uniform. When she had her clothes on and her hair mostly presentable, she hurriedly rushed out the door.

On the way out of the building, she ran into Nodoka, who was looking a little disheveled herself. When she asked the violet-haired librarian how her night was, and if she stayed the night in their dorm room—seeing as they were up so late fighting Septimus—she began to blush heavily. Nodoka tried to convey something to her through broken sentences and stuttering, but Konoka couldn't understand most of it. Something about Asuna and clothes, and Negi and Eva-chan. She thought she might have heard the word 'naked' too, but she wasn't sure. She was sure, though, that whatever happened must have been awfully crazy to illicit that response from Nodoka.

The rest of the walk to class was spent in relative quiet, which didn't bother Konoka. She knew Nodoka was not much of a talker, and it gave her a chance to look around at everything passing them by. Various buildings and people. Some dogs on leashes or looking out windows, tails wagging furiously at passing pedestrians. A few birds overhead, and the clouds whistling by in the wind. She admired each for the inherent beauty it possessed, no one better than the other. She didn't mind walking in silence at all really. It gave her time to think. About herself. About her life. About her love.

Remembering back, she thought she had sensed Setsuna come back to the dorm last night when she was asleep, but by the time she awoke, Setsuna was nowhere to found. Had she left without even acknowledging her? _No...no. Even as late as it must have been, Setsuna would have come to me and… And what?_ She knew Setsuna better than anyone, and even then, she was unpredictable to say the least, especially when it came to showing affection. Would she have kept her distance? Would Setsuna have said anything, even though she knew she would not hear it? _There's one thing I _know_ she didn't do_.

She imagined her Secchan leaning over her, about to give her a goodnight kiss, before becoming too embarrassed and jumping away, maybe even hitting her head on the top bunk in the process. Konoka laughed to herself at the thought. _Oh Secchan_… Then something entered her head. Where it came from, she did not know, but it disturbed her. What if Setsuna _had_ done nothing? What if she had come into the room, talked to Negi-kun, and then left as if she wasn't even there? Had Setsuna gone back to completely ignoring her? …_Surely she would have done _something_ to say goodnight. Right?_

Their school building came into view as Konoka and Nodoka rounded the last corner in silence. Then something occurred to Konoka. She stopped in her tracks and looked around frantically. She saw lots of people: old, young; a few men, some women, countless girls headed to class. As she scanned through the gaggle of middle school girls, however, her Secchan was nowhere to be found. Konoka had made it all the way to the school building and Setsuna hadn't come to find her.

Konoka felt a dull anger growing in the pit of her stomach. She didn't know why exactly, but she did. She wasn't even sure if she was angry at Setsuna or not. _But she didn't say goodnight, and she didn't walk me to class. It might not be her fault, she might have had something to do_…_ But then again_…_ Ooh_…_! Why do I feel this angry?!_ She knew that she would usually blow something like this off. She would smile and pretend like it didn't affect her. Act like nothing happened, that she was oblivious to the fact that anything was wrong. But she couldn't this time. There was something in her heart that was longing for anger. She could feel it tugging at her mind and her heartstrings. She knew she shouldn't blame Setsuna, but whatever that feeling was made it so. She subconsciously decided. It was Setsuna's fault. The fact that she was unhappy as she approached the school building was Setsuna's fault. It had to be.

For the first time ever, Konoka walked into Mahora classroom 3-A with a thundercloud over her head.

* * *

Setsuna walked down the hall towards classroom 3-A with a small smile on her face. Though the night had been short, she had slept well. After his pointed comment in the dormitory hallway, Sicarius had finally shut up, giving her a night of much needed respite. On top of that, the meeting with the headmaster had gone surprisingly smoothly. When she and Negi had reported the events of the previous night, old man Konoemon simply nodded and said that he would have someone look into it. He thanked them for their action and reminded them to be vigilant for Septimus, or any other enemies in the upcoming days. Then they were ushered out by Shizuna-sensei, who had a sizable bandage on her head, and were encouraged to get to class. _Well, I was at least_, Setsuna thought.

Once they left the headmaster's study, Negi surprised her by mentioning that he was planning on attending class to see how Fate was faring as his stand-in teacher. Apparently, though, he had something to check on first. He bowed quickly and left with just a 'see you in class, Setsuna-san.'

Dividing her attention between the hallways filled with students headed to class and keeping a vigilant eye out for trouble was something she was quite used to. It was second nature after her years shadowing Konoka. Presently, she let her mind wander as she considered why Negi would even bother to check in on Fate. _The two of them get along, sure, but it's not like they're friends. I mean, Fate's been the enemy for so long… Is Negi really that concerned about how that uptight, creepy-eyed boy is doing?_ She simply couldn't imagine anyone caring that much for such a cold, emotionless person.

_Couldn't the same be said about who you once were?_

Sicarius's voice caught her off guard. She had almost gotten used to her thoughts being private again. Sadly, even though she knew to expect him to butt in at any given moment, she found herself vulnerable to his random thoughts. Just then, what he said more than caught her off guard, it cut into her psyche. She stopped in her tracks in the middle of the hallway.

_Cold? Emotionless? No_…_ That's not who I was. I was calm. I was vigilant. I was controlled. That's the way of the Shinmeiryuu._

Setsuna could almost see Sicarius standing in front of her in his white slacks and black dress shirt. She couldn't tell if she was imagining it, or if he was really there in the hallway. Whether or not he was real, his tie seemed to move as if it was carried in the wind. He crossed his arms over his slowly flapping tie and looked at her askance. She watched his lips move, producing real words.

"The way of the hallowed Shinmeiryuu, of course. Look, I know you, silly girl. I know everything about you. Did you ever consider that, despite how you were true to your training, other people could not—indeed, did not know about the motivation behind your behavior? And beyond that, girl, did you ever consider that if other people did not know anything about your motivations, then they could not _possibly_ know that your behavior was intentional?" The speed of his words seemed to increase as he spoke. She frantically tried to reconcile what he was saying with what she felt was true. His eyes narrowed on her and he spoke as if reading her mind. "The truth? The truth is, girl, that without knowing your motivations, others perceived you as nothing more than a cold, emotionless being!"

The world seemed to stop around them. Time froze. Setsuna had never thought about that before. From very early on, her only goal, her only mission—her only purpose—was to protect Konoe Konoka. That was her one duty. That was her life, her essence. Her reason for existing. She knew that Konoka-ojousama knew that, but…did anyone else? She never told any of her classmates intentionally. She had assumed Mana and Kaede had known somehow, or at least respected that she had _some_ reason for keeping them at an emotional distance. There was no one else. At least, not until she met Negi.

Like cracks splintering across glass, Setsuna began to see herself differently. She had always seen herself as somewhat of a servant. It was her role, so to speak: meekly staying in the shadows, ready to serve on a moment's notice, but never obstructing the glory and honor of her master. Only now could she see her actions for what they were in the eyes of others. Meekness became disingenuousness. Servitude became despondence. Controlled became emotionless. Everything she had thought was crucial to her life as a shield for Konoka became instead, an indictment of her character.

Setsuna didn't know what to think. Had she really been as cold and emotionless as Fate? The number of years she had spent in that guise was very nearly the whole of her school life. It was only very recently that she had opened up to anyone, even to Kaede, her roommate. _There might be no changing people's view of me…_ What was she to do? That was who she was. Could she change? Was it worth it? Should she even try? Or was it useless…?

…She still had a mission to carryout. Protecting Konoka-ojousama, a lifelong burden whose weight eclipses all others. One too important to fail because of petty feelings. And yet…that was exactly the kind of thinking that stuck her in that place of isolation. _Is it my lot in life to continue putting everyone at arm's length, refusing to get close to them, all for the sake of duty?_ She nearly fell to her knees, overburdened, before she felt a strange warmth surrounding her.

She looked up and saw Sicarius, as if in the flesh, holding her still against his chest. Astonishingly, Setsuna could actually feel his arms around her body. As he pulled her close, her ear pressed against his chest where the unmistakable sound of heartbeats resonated rhythmically. She didn't know if she was hallucinating, or if by some strange trick of magic, he had really manifested in the real world. Either way, she was grateful. Being held in an embrace, held against the ravages of the mind and the pitfalls of the heart, went a very long way toward calming Setsuna. She felt him pat her head gently and she looked up into his eyes. They had that fatherly warmth once more.

"Remember this, girl," he spoke softly to her, "you will not go back to that way of life. I know this, because I know you. Two things prevent that from happening. The first is your distilling. The forces of _Cosmo Entelecheia_ have rewritten your neural pathways—indeed, changed the very way you think. That is, however, only a positive because of the second thing, which is the fact that you _have_ changed." Sicarius pulled away from her and held her by the shoulders. There was a strange vigor in his expression, as if he was willing her to believe him. "The truth is that you have changed. Your friendship with Asuna Kagurazaka proves that. Your relationship with Kono-chan _proves_ that. The simple truth, the one that outweighs all of your past faults, is that you have become a new person."

Setsuna felt a burning sensation in her eyes as the beginnings of tears welled up behind her lids. His words were kind. Beyond that, the way he said them so genuinely made her believe that he not only meant them, he knew they were true. She realized who she had been, yes, but her eyes were also opening to who she was becoming. It was really only because of him that she was aware of her transformation. Realizing what she had to do next, she lowered her head. Difficult didn't even begin to describe it.

"Sicarius, I… I have to apologize." She looked up into his eyes. He looked shocked, but it was now or never. She continued. "Since we met I haven't trusted you. I assumed that, because of your origin, you could not be trusted. I mistrusted you when you gave me your name in the meadow. I mistrusted you when you warned me about your power in the forest. Then I selfishly used that power in my time of need, without even a word of thanks. Even…even after your power was the only thing that was able to stop our enemy, I still didn't trust you." Admitting she was wrong was one of the things that cut Setsuna to the core. It meant she failed. Inexcusable. Here though, it needed to be done. He had given her too much to be treated that way anymore.

While listening, his expression was largely unreadable. Once she was done there was a small, uncomfortable silence between them, only broken by a ringing sound in the background. His face broke into a small laugh and he patted Setsuna on the shoulder with one hand, while he slid the other casually into his pocket.

"Thanks for the sentiment Setsuna, but I already knew all of that." He let his other hand return to his slacks pocket before looking over his shoulder down the now empty hallway. "Now, if I'm not mistaken, that was the bell signaling class to start. Which means," he glanced back at Setsuna with one eyebrow cocked absurdly high, "you're late."

* * *

Setsuna's eyes became wide as saucers. It appeared that in the heat of the moment, the girl had completely forgotten about getting to class on time. Without another word to Sicarius, she raced off in the direction of 3-A, even focusing _ki_ energy into her feet to increase her speed. Sicarius's partially manifested form was left alone in the empty hallway. All he could do was shake his head in mild laughter.

"Silly girl. You've got a long way to go, but you're getting there."

End Chapter 23.

* * *

Author's Note: Can you feel the tension brewing? Love can also be strengthened in the fires of trial. So, let the flames commence!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It is on the short side, but that also means you got it sooner than usual, so no complaining! Hahaha.

As always, if you would like to talk, or have anything to say, either leave a review or PM me. Hearing from YOU is EXTREMELY helpful in the writing process, so please, take the minute and a half to post a review! Thank you so much! In the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24. The penultimate chapter.

Setsuna flung the sliding door to the classroom open and was already bowing as she stepped inside. She was not surprised to see all eyes on her. She could feel her ears heat up.

"Sensei, I'm sorry for being late!"

When she didn't hear any response, nay, any noise, she straightened and headed to her seat without even looking at Fate. She didn't get very far before Fate stopped her.

"Sakurazaki-san, would you please come back here?"

The red in Setsuna's face turned white. Her mind was simultaneously filled with thoughts, and empty. She turned around slowly to face Fate. When she finally saw him, he was standing behind his desk, gesturing casually to the side where he wanted Setsuna to stand. His eyes were not any different than normal: cold, hard, and unfeeling. She took her place beside his desk and put her hands behind her back, clasping them together. She wasn't used to being made an example of, and her automatic fidgeting proved that true. Fate looked at her flatly.

"Sakurazaki-san. You're late."

She didn't know what she should say. It almost sounded like he was asking for her to explain her tardiness, which she was uncomfortable with. Instead, she simply bowed again.

"Yes. I'm sorry Sensei."

"Leave."

Her head jerked up to look into his eyes. It was like looking into a frozen plane of oblivion. There was nothing in them that suggested he was kidding. He continued in his monotone voice.

"Leave, now. If you intend to continue along this path of truancy, then you might as well not attend class at all."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was he really kicking her out just for being a few minutes late?

"In fact, do not bother to come back tomorrow either."

Her eyes widened and her heart sank to her stomach. _This is too much!_ _What's going on? Is there some new rule about being late that I missed?_ Her entire head began to heat in anxiety. What Fate said next was the final nail in the coffin.

"Actually, your tardiness was so egregious, it would be fitting if you left and never returned to class 3-A."

"WHAT?!" Setsuna burst out. "Sensei, I know I was late, but only by a few minutes! To never come back, that is too harsh!"

Fate's eyes changed slightly. For the first time she saw something in them and it confused her. It almost looked like he was smirking. The next instant the emotion was gone, and he turned away from her to the rest of the class. He addressed all of the girls.

"And that, class, is a prime example of our word of the day." He gestured casually behind him. Setsuna's eyes darted to the chalkboard where she saw one solitary word: hyperbole.

She should have known. Fate was just cruel enough to use someone in a demonstration unbeknownst to them. It was no wonder she resented him, especially after his unwarranted display. She couldn't decide if she was more embarrassed, or more frustrated. Likely, it was some of both. Maybe a lot of both.

"Your role as a demonstration was adequate, Sakurazaki-san. You may be seated."

Setsuna bowed stiffly before turning and walking to her seat. She kept her eyes down—she didn't want to make eye contact with anyone. Anyone except the one person she could count on to make her feel better. As she approached her seat she looked up, hoping to see Konoka's pretty face casting her an empathetic pout. That's why she was shocked when she saw the chocolate-haired girl's face was stone cold, focused at the front of the room. Setsuna took her place next to Konoka, but nothing changed. She didn't smile, she didn't greet her; she didn't even turn her head to look. Konoka was completely ignoring her.

"Today, class, we will be focusing on words not commonly used in the English vernacular. In fact, the word vernacular itself is…"

Setsuna blocked out Fate's droning. She turned her head slightly to look at Konoka. She was still looking forward, giving no sign of seeing her.

"Kono-chan, are you alright?"

Still nothing. She didn't even blink. Setsuna started to worry. Had something happened in the night? Was it some sort of magic curse? Something that Septimus had done? Except, he hadn't shown any ability to control emotion, nor life-force. Was it a consequence of healing Asuna? Maybe, but apparently Konoka was just as emotional as ever after healing Negi's near fatal wound in the magical world. She reached out and placed a hand on Konoka's arm.

"Kono-chan, answer me, what's wrong?"

She got a reaction, but it wasn't what she was expecting. Konoka's brow furrowed. She was _glaring_ at her. Setsuna was taken aback. Konoka had never acted that way before. She was always happy, always bubbly. Even when everyone else was sad, she always found a way to be happy. What had happened to her? _Or was it something I did?_

She watched as the chocolate-haired girl grabbed a pen and a piece of paper and began to scratch something onto it. Her motions seemed jerky—forced even. She placed the pen down hard and pushed the note over to her. Setsuna was thoroughly confused, but took the note.

'I am trying to listen, Sakurazaki-san.'

Setsuna's heart rate slowed to a stop. She could feel the blood drain from her face. _Sakurazaki-san? Konoka's never called me that. Even when we were children, and it was my job to protect her, I was always Secchan. Always_…_ What happened?_ Whatever it was, Setsuna was sure that Konoka didn't want to talk about it. Setsuna was worried, but she dared not speak. She leaned back in her chair, and tried to pretend like she was listening to Fate's lecture as a cacophony of blame bounced around in her head.

* * *

The bell rung loudly, signaling the end of classes for the day. Fate set down his piece of chalk and turned to the class. He attempted to speak over the thirty or so girls who seemed more than antsy to leave.

"It appears that we have run out of time today. We will pick up here tomorrow. Your homework must be completed and returned at the start of class tomorrow, with no exceptions. That means you, Sasaki-san." Setsuna watched Makie squirm in her seat under Fate's heavy, cold gaze. "Dismissed."

Fate then went over to Negi, who had come in partway through the class and pulled up a chair near the window. The two boys started chatting—so far as discussing the modern lack of usage of something called the 'genitive' case could be considered chatting.

As the other girls all started packing up, Setsuna shifted her attention away from the two boy teachers and looked to Konoka. She was putting her supplies in her bag with deliberate focus. When everything was put away, she stood and began to walk out of the room without so much as a glance in Setsuna's direction. Realizing Konoka wasn't going to acknowledge her, Setsuna hurriedly threw her things in her own bag and leapt out of her chair. Konoka had made it out the door already before Setsuna caught up to her.

"Konoka, wait!" The girl almost didn't stop, so Setsuna grabbed ahold of the girl's arm to stop her. When Konoka's arm was tugged she came to a halt, but turned halfway and shot an angry look over her shoulder at Setsuna.

"What is it, Sakurazaki."

Setsuna's heart was pained by the edge in Konoka's voice. It was like steel cutting into her soul, but sharper than anything that had cut her before. She spoke emphatically.

"Konoka, what's wrong? You never call me by my family name." The girl only looked at her with something between a glare and a look of disgust. Setsuna felt like a sheep ready for slaughter under that gaze. She nearly pleaded to Konoka. "Tell me, Konoka! Tell me what's bothering you! Is it…something I've done? Have I…failed you in some way? Please tell me…I need to know!"

Konoka said nothing. Her glare never broke. Suddenly she ripped her arm away from Setsuna's grasp. She began violently shaking her head such that her chocolate colored hair swayed wildly back and forth. Then Setsuna heard her start to cry. Without warning, she began to shout at Setsuna through sobs.

"How can you not know! You just… You just don't get it!"

Her eyes, filled with tears, caught Setsuna's for but a moment. There was pain in them. More pain than she had ever seen in those big, brown orbs before. With a final shake of her head, Konoka ran off down the hallway in tears, leaving Setsuna alone, confused, and hurt.

_What's going on? Did I really do something wrong? Did I forget to do something? Did I do something to her? To make her angry? Upset? What's happening? What did I do? What—?_

"Um… excuse me, Setsuna-san? Is something the matter with Konoka-san?"

At hearing Negi's voice, Setsuna spun around to find that she was not really alone: the entire class, plus Negi and Fate, as well as several onlookers from other classes had congregated around her. As she looked around dazed, most of them didn't meet her eyes. Which meant… _Which means they saw_… As if her world wasn't spinning wildly enough, there were now over thirty other people, most of them middle school girls who had seen her and Konoka fight.

Emotion welled up inside her. She tried to contain it, but seeing everyone standing there in the hallway staring at her broke open her barely contained heart. She could feel her cheeks and neck heat, and her vision blurred from the tears welling in her eyes. She blinked them away quickly and wiped her eyes dry with her forearm. She couldn't stay there, so she fled down the hallway, in the opposite direction from Konoka.

She didn't know where she was going, and she didn't know what to do. Somehow, she had hurt the one person in her life that she couldn't live without.

She felt her world breaking at the seams and she didn't know how to put it back together.

* * *

"Ah! Setsuna-san!" Negi reached out as if to stop Setsuna from running, but she was already gone down the hallway, leaving Negi with arm outstretched, baffled by what he had just seen.

"You knucklehead!"

Negi barely heard the verbal jab before he felt a fist come down hard on top of his head.

"OWW!" Negi rubbed his head tenderly while looking back to see who had hit him. He was a little surprised to see Chisame standing behind him with her fist clenched, glaring through her glasses at him. "What was that for Chisame-san?"

She gritted her teeth and snarled at him. "What was that for?! For you being an idiot! You can't ask a girl that who just had a fight! Are you stupid or something?!" Her fist came down on top of his head for a second time.

This time, the blow knocked Negi into an eye-swirling daze. He slumped over toward Fate who caught him, unphased, with one cool motion. Fate looked to Chisame with empty eyes.

"Hasegawa-san, in the future, refrain from any physicality against the teaching staff, or else I should report you."

Chisame scoffed at her 'substitute' teacher. She really had no time for stuck up brats like him. As she stalked after Setsuna, she shot back.

"Like I give a damn, Tertium."

* * *

A harsh wind blew across Konoka's face as she ran through the campus. During the day's classes, the weather had taken a turn for the worst. Dark clouds had veiled the campus grounds in half-light, and closed the sky in on the ground. Biting wind streamed through fields and streets alike. It wasn't raining, but to Konoka, it felt like it could pour at any moment. In the distance there was a crack of thunder that signaled an oncoming storm. The sound echoed through the city ominously.

Konoka ran through the nearly deserted streets. Through teary eyes, she saw a small group of girls slip in a nearby building to avoid the brewing storm. Her crying had stopped, but her eyes refused to dry. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts as she ran.

_Why am I running? Why am I crying?_ She turned right down a side street. _Why is it that my heart hurts? It hurts so bad_… _What is this feeling?_ Buildings passed on either side, buildings that closed in on her. _Did I yell at Secchan? Why did I do that?_ …_Of course. I did that because she didn't visit me last night. She didn't_… Suddenly, the buildings gave way to a wooded edge. She kept running along the path, into the woods. _She didn't kiss me goodnight. Even after I kissed her in front of our friends. She couldn't do it, even for me. She didn't even wake me up! _The path she was on wound around a small, lifeless tree. She looked at the dying tree with scorn.

On the next step, her foot caught a root. She lost her balance and toppled to the ground, landing hard on her side. She screamed out as a shot of pain bolted through her arm, followed by an ache that didn't dissipate. Tears flowed again, unrestrained. She picked herself up with her good arm and crawled to sit against the dying tree. _Ah! Oww. That really hurts_…Though tears clouded her vision, she inspected the damage to her arm. She was scraped in several places and blood had started to stream from the injuries. She covered the worst one as best she could with her hand._ Why? Why am I so angry?! Setsuna's never been good at showing emotion. But I thought she would change. For me._ She curled her free hand into a fist. _Why is she still so unwilling to be with me?!_

Her heart beat once. It beat so profoundly that she felt it throughout her body. A coldness spread through her as she considered the implications of her last thought. It shook her so much that just thinking it was not enough.

"What if she doesn't love me?"

A shard of ice formed in her heart, and she felt it slowly stealing the warmth from her body. The ice brought doubt with it. Doubt that the girl she loved, loved her in return. Doubt of her own love for that same girl that couldn't possibly love her. Doubt that they could ever be happy again. Doubt that they could even be _friends_ again… It felt so cold. So alone. She shut her eyes tight, while tears seeped out the sides. She had never thought she and Setsuna wouldn't be friends. She shook as the darkness of doubt penetrated her mind.

A flame. A single flame of hope held off the darkness. A single flame of truth kept the spreading ice at bay. A singular, small flame that told her that Setsuna would never abandon her. She believed in that flame. She knew it to be true. The flame grew bolder, bigger. It pushed back against the encroaching ice, melting it away.

As if in retaliation, the core of the ice hardened and sent a frozen cascade at the flame. It hurled a buried memory to the front of Konoka's mind. _That's right. Setsuna _did_ leave. She left when we were kids. She abandoned me and didn't come back for years._ The wall of ice blackened as it descended upon the flame. _She left me alone. Alone in that huge, empty house. With nothing to do. _Konoka brought her knees up to her chest and squeezed them tightly while still attempting to cover her wound. She rested her head against her knees. _No one to play with. No one to love me._ That single flame sputtered in the wake of a sea of blackness. _Alone. All alone. And it's because she left me._

Smoke. A single wisp of smoke heralded the end of the flame, overcome by the ice all around it, too weak to halt its own demise. Now she was sure. The girl she thought she loved never really loved her. She had left her alone. Then and now. Tears streamed down her face and she spoke the revelation to the empty wood.

"I'm alone." Her voice sounded weak, hollow. Like it wasn't hers. "I'm alone. All alone…"

"Really now?"

Konoka jerked her head up from her knees to see someone coming out from behind a nearby tree. As the figure stepped closer Konoka recognized the flowing golden-haired girl.

"You're…"

* * *

Without realizing it, Setsuna had made it all the way to the edge of the lake that sat on the east side of campus. She almost never came down here. There were too many people usually, and anytime she wasn't in class was spent training or on guard duty. A while back, Konoka had suggested they come down here and spend time together looking out on the water. It wasn't that Setsuna didn't like water, but ever since Fate and the monkey-summoning woman tried using Konoka to summon the giant demon god, she had been wary of coming to large bodies of water unnecessarily.

Setsuna didn't know why her legs had taken her to the water this time. _Great, let's just add it to the list of things I don't know right now._ She walked down to the water and stared at the small waves softly lapping against the shore. The waves that ate at the shore, slowly chipping away at the ground. She sighed heavily. _What have I done?_ Her eyes lifted to the far side of the shore. Beyond the jutting section on the right side of the water that held the residential district, stood one of the many forests that spread across the campus of Mahora Academy. She had never visited the far one, but Konoka had once suggested taking a stroll through it to look at the trees. They had never gone. _What have I done?_ Her eyes raised to the stormy sky above. Dark clouds blotted out the sky and pressed on the ground. She heard the crack of thunder in the distance. A violent heaven prepared for a purge. _Somewhere_…_ Somewhere out in this storm, Konoka is crying_…_ What have I done?_

_What have I done? I have done something to hurt Konoka. Something terrible. The look_…_ the look in her eyes... I've never seen her that way before. So angry, so sad. I must have done something that caused that pain._ On the way to the lake she had searched her mind for the answer. The answer to what she had done. As she searched, small but numerous failings jumped into her mind. Even some things she had viewed as innocent before became tainted in her search to find the reason behind her fault. _Was it something in the last few days? That I reacted the way I did to her kiss? That I didn't move to cover her when Septimus attacked? That I let Negi take her away from the battlefield?_ The more she thought, the more she realized that it couldn't be one single thing, but the sum of everything that had happened between them up to then. _For so long Konoka has been graciously carrying the weight of my failings, but now_…Yet, she could not find what it was that had finally broken the girl's spirit. Then she imagined something that frightened her beyond belief. _What if it was something I did that I don't even remember doing? Something so normal for me that I didn't recognize it as wrong, but hurt Konoka to this extent_…

There was one person who would know. One person who would know if she had done something so egregious that it had made the girl she loved cry out in pain and anguish. One person who knew everything she did, and wasn't afraid to tell her she was wrong. Just one person. She called out to that one person. Over the din of distant thunder she called out.

"Sicarius?!"

There was no answer. No half-hearted jab. No warming reassurance. No pointed sarcasm. There was nothing. She called out again.

"Sicarius! Where are you?! Answer me! I need you to tell me how I failed her! I need… I need you to help me understand! Sicarius, I need you!"

Cold wind blew against her face, biting at her flesh. A small, weak voice floated through her head.

_I'm sorry, Setsuna._

Then silence.

A void filled her mind. An emptiness so profound that it carried its own weight. Even the presence of Sicarius was gone from that place. She felt hollow. Tears began to cloud her vision, obscuring the lake in front of her. She wiped them away with her hand, but the burden on her shoulders remained. Her legs became weak. Unable to find the strength to stand, she fell forward. Her knees landed hard on the sand and she just caught herself with her hands. This time, the tears flowed unabated. She tried to blink them away but it was no use. Her shoulders heaved as she sobbed while the tears ran down her face and off her chin, staining the sand dark. She felt alone. Alone and scared. She had no answers. Or solutions. She barely even knew the questions. As if angry at the ground, she slammed a fist into the sand.

"Why is this happening? We were so happy. Konoka, I…" The words tumbled out of her mouth between sobs. "I love you Konoka! Tell me… Tell me what I've done!"

Her sobs were the only sounds carried on the wind. Emptiness, and failure consumed her. There was going to be nothing left but an empty shell of a girl. No, not even that. An empty shell of a half-demon. A half-demon rejected by her clan, abandoned by her friends, and scorned by the only one she ever truly loved. A half-demon who tried _so_ desperately hard to be just like the girls around her. A half-demon who worked so hard to protect the thing that was, in the end, her very undoing. Her relationship with Konoka had been her life. Guarding. Training. Fighting. Protecting. Years spent removed from her to atone for the sin of abandoning her in that river so long ago. All for her. And now… All for naught.

Defeated, she collapsed backward on her heels and landed with her legs tucked under her. She didn't bother to wipe the tears away, they were starting to dry on their own. She gazed up at the ever darkening clouds. If her soul had been strong enough to laugh then, she would have: she never thought her life would end next to a lake. With a long, raggedy sigh she spoke words she never thought she'd say.

"This is the end. I have reached the end of my path. My destiny ends here."

A black-grey sky was the last thing Setsuna saw before her eyes closed. She felt her spirit begin to depart from her body.

* * *

"That has got to be the _lamest_ death scene ever."

Setsuna's eyes blinked back open. She snapped her head around to find Chisame Hasegawa standing behind her, with a look of exasperated disbelief in her eyes.

"I mean, seriously! What did you think was gunna happen? That your 'spirit' was just going to up and leave your body? You've got to be kidding me."

Setsuna was caught stunned. Instantly she had gone from a state of complete resignation, to being dragged back into the world by Chisame's words. It wouldn't matter though. Being brought back from the brink was only a temporary delay. She spoke in light, narrow tones.

"Hasegawa-san, I—"

Chisame instantly interrupted her.

"After all this time I can't believe you'd still use my family name. Setsuna, we know each other too well to be that formal."

Internally, Setsuna was more than surprised. Even though it was true that they had gone to the magical world together as members of Ala Alba, the two of them never really talked that much. It wasn't like they had been friends. Friendly, sure, but never really friends. She didn't let her surprise show though. More emotion would only make the process of death more agonizing.

"Chisame-san, I have come to the end of my path. My destiny ends here."

"Don't give me that crap line again!" Chisame stomped her foot down on the sand. There was a moment of silence between them before Chisame took off her glasses with a sigh. She moved her hand up to rub her temples. "You're not going to die. Not here. Not today." She lowered her hand and came around to face Setsuna, stowing her glasses in her pocket. "I saw what happened between you and Konoka after class. Tell me what happened."

"If only I knew," Setsuna said. She let her eyes fall from the girl's face. She could hear the shock in Chisame's voice.

"What? You honestly don't know what happened? There had to have been something!"

Setsuna really didn't want to re-live her recent failings, but she could tell Chisame wasn't going to give up. Even to her it seemed she was speaking to someone else.

"I have done something. No, more than something. I have done many things that might have caused this, but I cannot tell which one it was that finally… After the events of last night, I thought the stress might be hard on ojousama, but she is always so happy. I thought that she would wake up the same girl as ever, but…" At the end she looked back up at Chisame, whose expression had turned from exasperation to off-put curiosity.

"Many things? I never expected you to be that unsavory..."

Setsuna suddenly realized she had given the girl the wrong idea. She waved her hands in excitation. "No, no! That's not what I meant! I—"

Chisame half-grinned and stuck her own hand out to stop Setsuna's flailing. "I know, I know. Don't get so worked up about it." She muttered something under her breath that Setsuna was sure she wasn't supposed to hear:_ you can be so dense sometimes._ Chisame recovered quickly though. "So, last night, what happened?"

Setsuna sighed heavily. It looked like she was going to have to recount everything to the girl whether she liked it or not. Despite being physically strong, standing was hard due to her weakened spirit. Looking past Chisame onto the lake, she began to describe the events of the night previous. It would have sounded strange, unreal even, if they weren't both intimately involved in the world of magic.

She intentionally left out the information of how she defeated Septimus, and Chisame didn't ask anything more about it. Setsuna made it all the way to where she came into class that morning, again leaving out the part with Sicarius, before she stopped. After a brief moment of silence, she looked to Chisame who had a pensive look on her face. Her eyes studied Setsuna, who shifted under her gaze.

"You're sure that's it?" Chisame asked.

The ponytail on the side of Setsuna's head bobbed as she nodded. Chisame sighed shallowly. "Oh boy…"

Setsuna's ears perked up. Had she found the reason? Found whatever it was that made Konoka turn on her? _Maybe confiding in her wasn't such a bad idea after all_, she thought. The flame, that singular flame of hope was kindled anew. If she had discovered what ultimately caused this, that meant there was a way to fix it. The charcoal-haired girl nearly pleaded to her classmate.

"What? What is it, Chisame-san? Did you see what I could not? Something I overlooked?"

The girl only shrugged in return. "No."

That single word felt like a stone being dropped on her head. The flame that had been reborn was quickly put to death once more. Setsuna's eyes dropped to the sand. "Oh… Alright."

Unexpectedly, Chisame reached out and put her hand on Setsuna's shoulder. "From everything you told me, there isn't any logical reason that Konoka should be mad at you. Still, if you feel that there is something you need to apologize for, then I suggest you go do it." The look in Chisame's eyes was odd for her. It was encouraging, supportive. It was a look that, without words, told her that she was good enough, strong enough to face whatever adversary that could possibly come her way. That look alone was enough to set the flame ablaze again. _Now I know why Negi-sensei likes having Chisame-san around. She can be counted on._ Setsuna bowed low in gratitude.

"I will. Thank you Chisame-san."

"Fight on, and do your best, Setsuna. That's all that Konoka could ask for." Setsuna came up from her bow to find Chisame giving her a reassuring smile. She closed one eye in a sustained wink. "Although if it were me, I would have wanted to be woken up for that goodnight kiss. It's no fun if you're asleep."

A light turned on in Setsuna's head. _Of course! That's it!_ She bowed again and quickly thanked Chisame before running in Konoka's direction, guided and sustained by the flame once more._ Don't worry Konoka, I get it now. So hold on, I'm coming!_

* * *

Chisame watched her classmate fade into the distance before she lost sight of her beyond a stand of trees. She stood there motionless until she felt a few raindrops on her head. She looked up to the darkened sky and let the raindrops that heralded the beginning of the storm fall upon her face. For a small while she allowed the rain to fall on her, washing her clean. While the water streaked down her face she thought about her own feelings for a certain boy. How often did she deny having those feelings at all? How many times had he proven that to be wrong? Once again she looked to where Setsuna had gone. _You are strong, Setsuna. Lend me some of your strength._

After a deep, cleansing breath she started back towards her dorm room. _Why am I always the one giving advice anyway?_

* * *

"Evangeline! What are you doing here?"

The blonde vampiress stepped towards Konoka with a half-smile on her face. Konoka wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a smirk or a smile. _It's kind of scary though_… Coming to a stop just in front of her, Evangeline looked down on her with an odd expression on her face.

"Me? Oh I just didn't want you to be alone is all." Her face changed to become more of a smile—at least that's what she must have been attempting. It didn't work though, it was too forced. Konoka decided she must have realized the fake smile was pointless, because the next instant it was gone, replaced with a cold look that she usually reserved for her enemies. Konoka squirmed slightly against the tree trunk. What Evangeline said next though didn't match with her look.

"So tell me, why did you come all the way out to a place like this by yourself, hmm? And where's your girlfriend?"

The strange anger brewed up from Konoka's belly again. It brought vitriol to the words she nearly shouted at Evangeline. "She's not my girlfriend!" Her tone softened and her head fell back to her knees. "She's not my girlfriend."

"Ah. I see. A quarrel of young love." Konoka almost heard a snide tone in those words. "Well that's completely uninteresting to me." And with that, the blonde vampiress turned and began to walk away.

Konoka was stunned. Without knowing why exactly, she called out to the departing figure and raised a hand as if to grab her and bring her back. "Eva-chan, wait!"

The girl stopped and tossed her head to the side to look back at Konoka over her shoulder. Konoka could feel the penetrating energy of her blue eyes laid squarely on her. "And why should I?"

Again, words poured out of her mouth that Konoka had not elicited. "I—I need you Eva-chan. I need you to help me understand." She could feel her eyes becoming wet. "I need to understand why I'm so angry!"

Evangeline merely looked at her, a mix of intensity and confusion in her eyes. "What makes you think I can help you?" She tossed her head back away from Konoka and spoke into the forest. "I never help anyone. I am a being who takes away happiness, not gives it back."

With a sense of urgency Konoka stood. "That's not true, Eva-chan! That's not true!"

Evangeline didn't move. She didn't even look at Konoka. After a moment of silence, she spoke coldly. "Of course it's true."

Konoka ran to Evangeline and grabbed her by the arm, spinning the small girl around to face her. "Then what about Negi? You helped him didn't you? If you didn't teach him your power, he would not have been able to win against Fate. And what about Nagi? If you really were as strong as you say you were you could have killed him, but you didn't. Instead of confronting him, you ran so you wouldn't hurt him, right? What about all of the magical world? If you hadn't come to save us from those enemy Fates, we would have all died, and the magical world would have been destroyed. That's why…" Konoka looked Evangeline straight in the eyes. "That's why I think you really are a good person!"

Evangeline's eyes widened in shock, but Konoka stood her ground. She truly believed everything she had said. Evangeline _was_ a good person, even if she didn't believe it herself. Konoka watched as the girl's pupils shook ever so slightly. Evangeline turned her head and let a small '_tsk!_' escape from her mouth. Her eyes moved to look at Konoka, who matched her stare for stare. The air around them turned heavy. Usually in a test of wills the most experienced being prevails, and yet in that moment, Evangeline was first to break. Her eyelids closed and she spoke as if begrudging the action.

"Fine. But don't think this is because I'm suddenly a good person." She opened one eye a crack. "I just don't like pathetic whelps like you sniveling around my favorite forest."

A small smile broke out on Konoka's face that was only slightly due to the offer of help. It appeared that she really had been able to reach Evangeline, something she wasn't sure she could do. Whatever internal happiness she had was quickly tainted by the feeling of anger gnawing at her patience. She opened her mouth, but before she could speak, the vampiress grabbed Konoka's wrist and pulled her hand off her arm. When she realized what Evangeline was doing Konoka let go of her grip, but even after that the small blonde kept hold of her wrist. She half turned to face Konoka, eyes fixated on the chocolate-haired girl's chest. Slowly she moved Konoka's hand by the wrist to where her eyes were looking. Konoka's heart rate increased as Evangeline laid her hand flat against her chest, then loosened her grip and covered Konoka's with her own. With Evangeline's hand where it was, Konoka couldn't keep from blushing.

"Um… Eva-chan? Why are you feeling my boob?"

Evangeline nearly fell over in shock. When she recovered, a tick mark of anger appeared on her forehead. When she yelled out the side of her mouth, Konoka had a good view of one of her sharpened, cat-like fangs.

"I'm not feeling your boob, you idiot! I'm feeling your heart!" Quickly, she grabbed Konoka's other hand and placed it over the first. When Evangeline stepped away from her, the girl's expression softened. "This is the only way you can know what is truly happening inside of you."

Confusion mixed with anticipation and curiosity. _Maybe she's about to use a spell that can see inside my heart. Maybe she can see things I've never seen before. Wow! Evangeline's amazing!_ Konoka, one of her hobbies being fortune telling, was not going to miss the opportunity to learn a spell that could see into people's hearts. Her feelings were becoming quite jumbled as excitement mixed with sadness and anger. All three emotions vied for position, causing her to squirm where she stood, just to even out her feelings. Eventually, anticipation won out, and she looked to Evangeline anxiously.

But nothing happened. The girl didn't say anything. She didn't do anything. There wasn't any incantation, or magic activation. Nothing. Konoka couldn't hold in her emotions any longer. The words came out faster than she had anticipated.

"Why didn't you cast the spell Eva-chan?"

Eyes of blue ice held her attention, never changing. Konoka's words fell to the ground unanswered as dark silence enveloped the two. A small wind that whistled through the wood began to blow Evangeline's hair to the side. Konoka could feel it carry her own hair as well.

"There is no spell." Konoka's eyes widened. She was sure there had to be a spell. Otherwise… How was Evangeline going to help her? She searched those blue eyes for an answer.

"There has to be a spell that can—"

Evangeline spoke over her again. "You want a spell that can look into your heart and tell you what is wrong. No such thing exists." Before Konoka could react, Evangeline continued. "The only way for you to know what is wrong in your heart, is to search yourself. Only you can look inside your soul and find the reason behind your suffering. The truth is, it is not that I don't want to help you, it's that I _can't_ help you. If there is something in your heart that is turning you to anger, then find it. Understand it. Reconcile it. Forgive it. Only then can you move forward."

Disappointment played across Konoka's face. She had really wanted there to be some easy solution. Some way for Evangeline to tell her what was wrong so she didn't have to admit it to herself. But in the end, there was no easy way out. Just as Evangeline said, the stone-cold truth was that she had to accept the fact that _only_ she could find out what was wrong. Her eyes fell to look at her hands covering her heart.

"Thank you Eva-chan. I understand." Her hands fell and grabbed at the fabric of her skirt, then clenching into loose fists. As she spoke, she began to hear raindrops patter against the wood's canopy. "I will do my best." She offered her blonde classmate a small bow in appreciation.

Evangeline wasn't quick to respond. When the two finally met eyes again, she had an unreadable look on her face. It suggested empathy, but empathy centuries gone, as if the scene was reminding her of something deep in her past. It was a face that was ageless, but begged for the intimacy of mortality.

"Konoka… I don't know if you and Setsuna will find happiness," the words leaving her small lips were heavy, full of emotion, "but if there is even a single thread of love between the two of you, then it is something worth keeping. You and she have both changed, it is one of the blessings of being human. Your distilling changed you too, but its influence only augments the feelings you have as a human." Konoka listened to Evangeline, lost somewhere between understanding and ignorance. The vampiress turned to leave before stopping and speaking one final time into the emptiness of the wood. "There is only one thing I can tell you Konoka: don't cut that thread lightly. You might never be able to sew again."

Heavy drops of rain fell from the yellowing leaves as Konoka watched Evangeline recede into the wood. She passed behind the trees until all of her figure was lost from Konoka's sight. As the last strand of her golden hair was lost behind the trees, regret flooded into Konoka's mind.

The truth. The stripped down, laid bare, unavoidable truth was that Konoka didn't need Evangeline to help her at all. She already knew exactly what it was that was causing her anger. It was her distilling. If Cosmo Entelecheia had reconstructed her the way Evangeline had said, then it had taken all the suffering, the turmoil, and the rage of her last moments to use as a foundation for the new Konoka.

Right before the Mage of the Beginning had killed her in Evangeline's glass resort, he had severely wounded Setsuna, worse in fact than she had ever witnessed before. As each spike pierced Setsuna's flesh, her soul and mind fought futilely to save her. Her screams fell on deaf ears. Her struggling against the Mage's iron grip was pointless. Her fear was all consuming. She wanted to kick him, she wanted to hurt him—she wanted to make him feel the same kind of pain she was feeling. In that moment, a red hot rage had built up inside of her, only balanced by one thing. And that balance was teetering on the edge.

In the loneliness of the forest Konoka was caught up in the memory, completely losing sense of her surroundings.

When the Mage of the Beginning injured Setsuna her mind wanted vengeance, but her heart only wanted to hold the dying girl. Her mind wanted retribution, but her heart only wanted to comfort the dying girl's last moments. Her mind only wanted revenge, but her heart only wanted one more moment. One more moment to tell the dying girl something she should have said long before.

Rain poured from the heavens and cascaded off the canopies of the trees. The soft pattering of a million raindrops filled the otherwise silent forest. Konoka collapsed onto her knees, which made indents in the soft, semi-wet dirt. Water soaked her hair and ran down her face, but she didn't notice. She was somewhere far beyond the forest.

_Something I should have said long ago._

Water streamed down her face and mixed with tears leaking from her eyes. Her voice quivered as she spoke the words her heart had longed to say.

"Even if this is our last moment… What you have given me is enough. It always was. Rest now, anata, and let my love bring you peace."

End Chapter 24.

* * *

Author's Note: Thus, Chapter 24. As noted at the beginning of the chapter, THIS IS THE SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER. In other words, Barriers will be coming to a close in Chapter 25. A proper note of gratitude will come then, but I wanted to address it here shortly as well. Thank you all very much for reading Barriers, it has been an honor writing for you.

Are you sad to hear that this is will be the end of Barriers? Have you grown fond of Sicarius's antics and Septimus's dry confidence? Did you feel like this ending was too abrupt? **DO ****NOT FEAR! **There **will **be a sequel to Barriers that will be a continuation with the same characters and the same plot. I'm not even planning a time-skip at this point! So please, look for this new story soon after the conclusion of Barriers. That being said, please look for the **FINAL** chapter of Barriers within the next few weeks!

On a side note, I have been receiving really good, really helpful reviews and messages recently, so THANK YOU! However, I am still only hearing from 5 or so of you at a time. This site has many ways to get in touch with the authors of the stories, so please take advantage of them! I would really appreciate it!

So thank you and remember, in the words of Glyph, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25. The final chapter.

Her steps slowed to a stop on the path in the forest. Through the rain and the trees she could see Konoka, kneeling there on the forest floor. Setsuna froze. She heard the girl's voice, frail and thin.

"Even if this is our last moment… What you have given me is enough. It always was. Rest now, anata, and let my love bring you peace."

Footsteps were drowned out by the pouring rain, but those words were not. Thunder rumbled in the distance, but those words were not lost in their wake. Even though there was no possible way Setsuna could have heard those words, they reached her. Somehow, those words transcended the elements attempting to conquer them, and carried their message on to Setsuna's heart. It was a message of peace; a message of love. A message of forgiveness. Those feelings penetrated Setsuna's heart as she watched Konoka kneel there in the forest. More words carried through the noise.

"Secchan…" Setsuna was stricken by the sound of her own name. Her eyes widened and shook with emotion. "Secchan, I'm sorry…"

Setsuna called out to her, hoping her words would carry the distance against the elements.

"Konoka! I'm here, Konoka!"

The girl didn't respond. She didn't move. She didn't speak. Motionless, she knelt there in the dirt. Dirt that was quickly turning to mud. Setsuna's breath caught. She realized Konoka couldn't hear her.

Setsuna's legs fell into motion as she rushed to the girl kneeling there on the forest floor. She felt herself glide along the path, running with all her might. With the rain falling on her face she couldn't tell if she was crying, but she didn't care if she was. Her only thought was to get to Konoka as quickly as possible.

At that moment, as if exhausted of all her energy, Konoka began to sway on her knees. Before Setsuna had reached her, Konoka began falling to the ground. Setsuna's breath caught. She wasn't sure she was going to make it in time. With a cry into the forest she let her white, feathery wings erupt from her back. One forceful sweep sent the air spinning around her. Her body was accelerated, quickly closing the distance between them. At the last second, she slid to her knees with arms outstretched. She caught the girl in her arms only a split second before she hit the ground.

"Konoka! Konoka, I'm here!"

No response.

"Konoka, wake up! It's me!" Tears blurred her vision as she held the girl in her arms. Her face looked peaceful, but her body held little warmth. She wasn't even warm enough to shiver. Setsuna embraced Konoka tightly, cradling her against her breast. Her shoulders shook in uncontrollable sobs. "I'm here for you Konoka. I… I'm sorry. Please. Please wake up!"

There was nothing but the sound of steady rain falling on the forest floor. Large drops rolled off the treetops, filling the forest with incessant pattering. Some landed on her head. A few dripped down her exposed neck, sending shivers of cold down her spine. Traces of thunder came infrequently, now distant and thin.

Setsuna cried. She cried harder than she ever had before. As her chest wracked from the sobs, she doubled over in emotion, holding Konoka tighter. Unconsciously, her wings moved to enclose them from the pouring rain. Her thoughts were incoherent, but one truth resonated through her soul: she had gotten to Konoka a moment too late. Nothing could deaden the pain that truth caused. She screwed her eyes shut, subconsciously trying to reject the reality thrust before her. Soon, everything she was became drowned out by her cries.

The moment she thought all was lost, she felt a hand reach up and caress her cheek. She snapped her eyes open to see Konoka's beautiful, soft brown eyes sparkling above a weak smile. She was alive. Konoka spoke softly, but Setsuna could hear her light, radiant voice clearly over the pattering of the rain on her wings.

"Your words reached me, Secchan. I'm so happy." As she spoke, Setsuna could sense magical energy emanating from Konoka's spirit. It gathered and coalesced around Konoka's body, enfolding her in a strong, healing aura. The magic became so dense it started fluorescing, brightening into a warm glow that surrounded her head like a halo. Setsuna's throat choked at the beauty of the scene before her.

"Secchan, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you earlier today. Only, it wasn't truly me yelling at you. Evangeline helped me understand. It was part of me that got distilled. The part that was so mad that he had killed you. So angry that he was taking you away from me. So sad that I wasn't able to hold you and comfort you as you were dying. It made me so incredibly sad." Konoka moved her hand from Setsuna's cheek to brush Setsuna's black bangs out of her face. When she spoke, emotion choked her pitch. "Secchan, I don't want to be that sad ever again."

The chaos of a spinning, swirling, tumbling world was stilled by Konoka's words. For a moment in time, only the two of them existed on a plane of existence far beyond the waking world. No one but she, and the girl softly touching her face. Unbeknownst to her, one other thing existed in that world: a truth that floated just beyond Setsuna's consciousness. It was a truth she didn't know she knew. A truth that would set her free. A truth that would give her the strength to break the barriers standing against their love. That truth, however, remained just beyond her reach as her mind flitted between a million different things.

From the magical aura, warmth began to diffuse out. It overcame the cold of the air, and returned color to Konoka's cheeks. Setsuna realized only then that the magical aura she was seeing was stemming from Konoka's healing magic. _She must be extremely emotional right now—her magic only ever comes out when she is close to breaking into tears. _Setsuna reached up and took Konoka's hand in her own and held it tight.

"No, Kono-chan, even though you say that, it's still my fault. I should have considered your feelings more. I have been too secure, taking you for granted. I never imagined there would be a time when you wouldn't want me with you. Even then, after class this morning, I wasn't even thinking that I might have done something to make you angry. And then… Then I didn't come to you until it was almost too late." Setsuna screwed her eyes shut, furrowing her brow in shame.

Konoka moved to place her empty hand on top of Setsuna's. Holding Setsuna's hands with both of her own, she gave them a small squeeze. "That doesn't matter. The only thing that does matter is that you _did_ come." Her gaze shifted away from Setsuna's eyes and she looked far into the distance. "Right before Evangeline came, I was feeling alone. Abandoned. I thought you had left me. I… Something made me doubt that you would come back to me." Her eyes moved back to Setsuna's. The charcoal-haired girl could see them sparkle with memories.

"Do you remember when we were kids and I fell in the river that ran by my house? You left because you couldn't pull me safely out of that river. You were gone for years. For so long I was by myself in that big house. I didn't have anyone to talk to, or anyone to play with." She spoke slowly, with buried emotion breaking its way into her voice. "I always wished you would come back, but you never did. I felt alone. Just as alone as I felt today. And it was all because of that river."

Setsuna's emotions were being shorn in half as Konoka led her back through her biggest failing in her life. It was a failing that she forced herself to remember every single day. Forced herself to remember the pain of that moment. The overwhelming fear she felt on that riverbank, and the crushing shame that weighed her shoulders down so much that she couldn't look at Konoka directly. It was a memory she wished she could forget, but also a memory she dared not forget. Because if she did, she would forget why she needed, beyond anything else, to protect Konoka. But it was also a memory that she did not possess alone. As Konoka reminded her of that, she felt on the verge of crying again, until she said the last sentence. Then Setsuna almost blurted out to correct her. "But Kono—"

Konoka put a finger to her lips quickly. "Shh. Listen. It was all because of the river that I lost you. Its current swept me away and kept you from saving me. And after you left, it continued to flow on past my house like nothing had ever happened. Through my window each night, I could hear the rushing of its water. It was taunting me. Reminding me every night of what I had lost. I had every reason to hate that river…" Bitter spite corrupted her words, but immediately they softened. "But I didn't hate it. I loved that river, because it's where you and I spent so many days together. It's where you and I became friends. That river brought us together. And I knew, somewhere in my heart I knew that even though it separated us, that river could never keep us apart. I knew that one day you would come back and save me from my loneliness."

The truth that had been just beyond Setsuna's reach now flooded into her being. It resonated through her bones. All those times she forced herself to remember, she wondered why she had never seen it so clearly before. When she left, she had caused a damage worse than any threat Konoka needed protecting from ever could. Those threats could only harm her body. Her own actions had harmed Konoka's soul. _Those years that I was away from her_…_ She spent all that time needing a friend and not having one_…_ Any normal person would have been crushed by the solitude. Konoka is so strong._ Her thoughts instantly turned introspective._ And me? I was so weak. To think that I'd be that selfish: to lift my shame above Konoka's happiness_…_ I'm despicable._

As the neurons in Setsuna's brain fired in a frenzy of thunder, a single one that had been forgotten for a long time finally sent an impulse. At a speed one third that of sound, sodium ions flooded in through channels in the neuron's signal sending axon. Almost instantaneously, the depolarization reached the end of the axon, and was sensed by receptors on several, more frequently used neurons, setting off a chain reaction that reached every neuron in her brain before a single second had passed. She received the message of that solitary neuron, echoed by the force of over 100 billion of its sisters. She was struck by the simplicity of the message, but its importance could not be underestimated. As soon as that truth was revealed, she knew nothing in her world would ever be the same.

She spoke. She spoke without worrying over how it might sound. Without worrying over who might hear them. Without worrying about deviating from her personal code. She didn't care if what she was going to say broke the Shinmeiryuu code. She didn't care if the boundaries she might cross interfered with her so called 'duty.' Because she had found something new to honor and protect.

"Konoka, I have found something that only I can do. To be honest, it's something I thought I was doing this whole time. But I was wrong. It's actually something I've never been able to do. I feel that, now, it's the one thing I can accomplish without any fear of failing." Setsuna closed her eyes, preparing herself mentally for the most difficult speech she had ever had to make.

"I might not always be able to keep you from harm. I might not be able to stop everyone who intends to hurt you. As your protector, I promise you that I will do my very best, and go to any lengths to keep you safe, but there may be a time where that isn't enough. That truth had been weighing heavily on me. It has, ever since that day I couldn't pull you from that river. I didn't want to accept that I might not be able to protect you. That's why I was constantly pushing you away: so I could continue believing the lie that I could handle anything that came after you, as long as I didn't get close to you. It was something my mind decided, but something my heart never wanted."

She was interrupted by Konoka softly squeezing her hands. "Oh, Secchan—."

Setsuna gently opened her eyes and put a finger to Konoka's lips to silence her. She copied the chocolate-haired girl's earlier directive. "Shh. Listen. I'm not finished." This time, she didn't need to close her eyes. Instead, she locked eyes with the girl resting against her body and spoke through that connection, right to her soul.

"I realized something. I realized that right now, I need to listen to what my heart wants." The pattering of the rain on Setsuna's wings had ceased, and she unconsciously retracted her feathery appendages, folding them neatly behind her back. "And the thing that my heart wants is to be able to protect you from sadness. I want to be able to see your happy, smiling face every single day for the rest of my life. When I left you all those years ago, I broke your heart. I never want to break your heart ever again. That's why, on top of the promise to fight for your safety, I also promise to fight every single day for your happiness. Because that is something only I can do."

At that moment, a brilliant light shone from the aura around Konoka. It was bright enough to be blinding, but it didn't hurt Setsuna's eyes. Rather, a warmth came with it that washed away all hints of chill from her bones. Each and every shadow of cold and darkness was banished by the white magic. Filled with warmth and light, little did Setsuna expect that an event even more beautiful was about to transpire.

While Konoka did carry the magic bloodline of the Konoe family, she was not adept at drawing that magic out herself. Rather, her magical abilities either had to be drawn out by the use of her pactio artifact, or she had to be in such a state of emotion that the barriers of mental inexperience were broken, allowing the magic to pour out of her. This time, her emotions reached such a fever pitch that an amazing amount of magic poured through her soul. It was as if the dam holding back a vast ocean of magic had suddenly burst open. The problem was that since Konoka was not pulling the magic out of her body on her own, it did not come out cleanly. Instead, it fought its way out of her body, shattering in the process.

As the magic splintered, the white of the light began to split and refract into its different components, each individual ray becoming a spectrum of vibrant color. Silently, Setsuna marveled at the beauty of the scene before her, with Konoka wrapped in a rainbow of color. Somehow, Setsuna could feel the individual colors of light penetrating her body, each one healing a part of her being.

Red invigorated her blood, giving her strength. Orange took over providing much needed heat to her body, and with the added benefit of supplying emotional warmth to her soul. Yellow refreshed her muscles and jumpstarted her brain. Green sang a beautiful harmony to her soul, bringing stability to her emotions. Blue calmed her nerves, sending a breath of fresh, tranquil air through her lungs. While the first five colors brought balance to her body, and soul the last of the colors moved her on a much more subtle note. Millions of rays of pure violet circled around her body, then stretched towards the sky, creating a wall of light. Its beauty was unimaginable, and its strength, impenetrable. Somehow, Setsuna knew that the wall of violet light stood before her as a barrier, protecting her new promise. One thing was certain, it was a barrier that could never be broken.

"It's so pretty Secchan."

Setsuna broke her eyes away from the violet wall and met Konoka's eyes with tears. They weren't tears of sadness, but tears of joy. "Yes Konoka, the light is very pretty." Setsuna lifted her gaze to the wall of violet again, admiring its otherworldly beauty, knowing that it was a direct cause of the existence of the girl she was holding in her arms.

"Not the light Secchan." Looking to her face again in surprise, Setsuna saw a sparkle light up Konoka's eyes. "Your words. What you just said to me… It's something that makes me very happy." Konoka reached her hand up to gently stroke Setsuna's cheek. "To know that you want to be with me every day is something that fills me with happiness. To be honest Secchan, there is nothing more that I have ever wanted than that."

The calming, warm touch of Konoka's fingers on her cheek made Setsuna blush slightly, but she listened to the girl with rapt attention. The impact of Konoka's words was not immediate, but upon hearing them, Setsuna realized after so long what she had failed to see. Protected within a wall of brilliant violet she was brought face to face with the reality she had never before understood: that what Konoka wanted was, at its core, something different than what Setsuna wanted for her. _Different entirely. _Setsuna searched over the features of Konoka's face while thinking over the revelation.

_What Konoka wants_…_ What she wants is for me to be by her side each and every day. Not as a servant that is waiting with bated breath. Not as a silent guardian who watches from the shadows. Not even as a protector who is friendly but distant. No. What Konoka wants is for me to be close to her. Close enough for our friendship to bring her happiness._ _What a fool I was not to see that._ Then, a thought entered Setsuna's mind that she didn't expect and her heart jumped into her throat._ Wait, will she be satisfied with just being close friends? Does she want more than that? I_…_want more than that, right? _

The power of Cosmo Entelecheia's distilling of Setsuna's mind broke through her natural reservation, bringing with it the memories of those last moments in Evangeline's resort. _This girl, right here. She is the one I love. The thought of not being close to her is unbearable. _

Anxious excitement came over Setsuna and she began to shift nervously on her knees. Konoka was simply gazing up at her, smiling a deep smile, which made Setsuna all the more nervous. She knew she had to be the one to say it. Konoka may feel the same way, but something deep within Setsuna's soul told her that she had to be the one to confess.

"Konoka, I do want to be with you, each and every day. But I don't want to be close to you as your friend. I couldn't do that. To spend every day with you without being together…" Her words choked in her throat. "My heart couldn't get through it."

Konoka had a somewhat confused look in her eye, as if she wasn't exactly sure what Setsuna was saying. _I can't stop now though,_ Setsuna thought while trying to reign in her heartbeat, _I have to tell her exactly how I feel. _

"I've felt something towards you recently. Something I don't really understand, but something that makes me happy. And these feelings have been getting stronger ever since we went to the resort together. I was struggling to understand what it was that I really wanted, but I finally realized that I want to be with you, not as a friend, but as a lover."

Setsuna felt Konoka's breath catch, and she felt the girl tremble slightly in her arms. Small tears were forming in the corners of her eyes, making her soft brown irises glisten as she blinked them away. Captured by her beauty, Setsuna could do nothing but look into those soft brown eyes and let her feelings flow freely out of her heart.

"I love you, Konoka. From the deepest places of my heart, I love you. That's why… Would…" She felt her heart beating uncontrollably. _Am I really going to say it?_ At the last second, Setsuna screwed her eyes shut and let the words fly from her mouth. "Will you please go out with me?!"

A moment passed. Then several. Fear and anxiety instantly plagued her thoughts. _Why isn't she saying anything? Does she really not feel that way about me? But I was so sure! What will happen to us if she rejects me? Could we even still be friends after that? Damn it! I should have thought this through more before just saying it!_ _Well I guess there's nothing but this to do_…

She was almost about to apologize when she heard a squeal of joy and felt Konoka's arms wrap around her neck. She opened her eyes to see Konoka's face right in front of her with the biggest smile she had seen in a long time. Setsuna watched Konoka's eyes shake slightly, moved with emotion. Instead of speaking though, she only softly nodded before gently pulling Setsuna's face closer to hers. Knowing what was coming did nothing to slow Setsuna's heart, nor quiet her thoughts. She let her eyelids close on their own. When their faces were almost touching, Setsuna could feel Konoka's warm breath on her face. She could smell Konoka's scent, which she longed to breathe in. A little closer, and then…

Their lips touched in a soft kiss. It was a light kiss, filled with innocence and inexperience. Setsuna was the first to let go of her hesitation. She moved her hand to rest on the back of Konoka's head, lacing her fingers through the girl's soft, chocolate hair. Konoka responded by humming lightly and pressing deeper into the kiss. Setsuna was lost in the feeling, savoring the taste of Konoka's lips on her own, and feeling the passion and love streaming through them. It was only reluctantly that Setsuna pulled her head away from Konoka's, regretting losing the warm feeling of the girl's lips.

Setsuna slowly opened her eyes and rested her forehead against Konoka's. She gazed lovingly into Konoka's brown eyes. When she spoke, her voice was unusually soft and breathy.

"I hope to never get used to that. It's too good the way it is."

Konoka giggled softly before moving to kiss Setsuna a second time.

Protected and veiled from the outside world by a wall of violet, the two girls kissed again. Soon, kissing comfortably gave way to cuddling, with Konoka snuggled up against Setsuna's chest, held in a warm embrace. With a slight blush, Setsuna indulged herself by stroking Konoka's hair. Each stroke was lush and soft in Setsuna's hands. _Why am I blushing at that_, Setsuna asked herself. _I just kissed her. And after all, she is my girlfriend now right? I guess some habits die hard. _She was broken out of her thoughts when she felt Konoka's hand grab hers and lace their fingers together.

As their emotions settled to a contented happiness, Setsuna could feel the magic energy that had continued to stream out of Konoka's body lessen, down from a torrent to a trickle, then cease completely. Just as the release of magic waned, so too did the wall of violet fade, slowly revealing the damp forest scene around them. As if acting out the finale of a grand performance, the last ray of violet shot into the air, bursting above the canopy of the trees in a brilliant display of color. The two girls watched the scene with full hearts.

The storm had finally passed, leaving behind a blue sky and the wet smell of new life. Setsuna was content to stay silent and enjoy the natural beauty of the scenery, but Konoka spoke up.

"Secchan, we should probably get back to the dorm. We'll both catch colds if we don't change out of these wet clothes."

Reluctantly, Setsuna agreed and helped the slight girl stand. Setsuna then stood herself and stretched her arms and wings, returning life and limberness to their distal parts. After the much needed stretch, she unconsciously began to fold her wings back into her body, but Konoka stopped her with waving motion.

"Um, Secchan… Would you mind leaving your wings out? At least until we get closer to the edge of the forest?" Konoka dropped her gaze, blushing almost as hard as Setsuna usually did. "I… like looking at them."

Seeing Konoka's blushing face and hearing the words she spoke made Setsuna's heart skip a beat. She wondered to herself if it was always going to be this nice having a girlfriend who loved her. Taking Konoka's hand, she cooed a soft, "of course, Kono-chan," before leading her down the path that led back to the dorms. Setsuna could only think about one thing: that they were setting out on their first walk together as lovers.

* * *

Once they left the forest, Setsuna was forced to stow her wings, at which point Konoka made an exaggerated pout. Setsuna laughed and assured Konoka that she was more than willing to see her wings any time they were alone.

"Can… can I touch them too?" Konoka was pushing her index fingers together nervously, waiting for an answer. Setsuna blushed at the idea—her wings were really sensitive, and the thought of having Konoka touch them was almost…too good to imagine. But if Konoka really wanted to, she was certainly not going to say no.

"That would be…nice, Kono-chan."

The two continued their slow walk to the dorm, hands laced together tightly, sharing light conversation. Once they had gotten a little further, a question popped into Setsuna's mind. It was one that she thought she could ask, now that Konoka was officially her girlfriend. She looked over to the chocolate-haired girl, saying, "Hey Kono-chan? So what was it that was bothering you so much this morning?"

Konoka stopped in her tracks and put a finger to her mouth in thought. Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember exactly what it was. Then she bounced once on her toes in remembrance before continuing on ahead of her. She spoke matter-of-factly in a sing-song voice.

"Oh, I was just a little sad that you didn't kiss me goodnight last night. That's all."

This time, it was Setsuna who stopped in her tracks. She stopped so abruptly that Konoka nearly lost her balance from being tugged by the arm. Konoka looked to Setsuna with a confused face.

"What's wrong Secchan?"

After the initial shock wore off, Setsuna burst out laughing. She laughed so hard that tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. She brought her hand up to wipe them away as the last bits of laughter shook through her body. When she finally calmed down she gave Konoka a bright smile.

"I _did_ give you a goodnight kiss last night Kono-chan, but you were asleep and I didn't want to wake you."

"What?!" Setsuna watched as Konoka processed the news. Her face blended from confused, to pensive, to shocked. Finally, she too broke out in a small giggle as she shook her head. "You mean, everything about today happened because I was sleeping when you kissed me goodnight? How silly of me!"

Something about how she was laughing reminded Setsuna of a little child, playful and innocent. Before Konoka could recover and regain her composure, Setsuna captured her arm and pulled the girl close to her body. With a light tug from Setsuna, they once again started on their way back to the dorm.

"I don't think it's silly at all Kono-chan," she said with a smile, and a small blush. "I would have wanted to be woken up myself if I was in that situation. And it worked out pretty well, right?" She glimpsed at Konoka from the corner of her eye.

The chocolate-haired girl smiled and rested her head on Setsuna's shoulder. In that moment, Setsuna didn't care if it took one minute or ten thousand years to reach the dorm. As long as she could hold Konoka close to her heart, that would be enough. The air seemed alive with newness and a gentle breeze streamed through her hair. Konoka offered a single, simple phrase to complement the beauty of the moment.

"I love you, Secchan."

Without a hint of a blush, Setsuna leaned her head down to kiss the top of Konoka's head.

"I love you too, Kono-chan."

_Fin._

* * *

Author's note: Six months and twenty five chapters later, and the first installment of Barriers is complete! I cannot thank you all enough for supporting me through this work. I sincerely appreciate all of you who have taken the time to read Barriers, and especially those of you who took the time to get in touch with me! I always appreciate hearing from my readers, whether it be praise or criticism. As of now, the sequel to Barriers is published right here on FanFiction! The story will be under a different name (Shadows), so if it's easier for you, you can simply follow me to get an email every time I post a new chapter. Thanks again for traveling with me, Setsuna, Konoka, and all the characters of Barriers. It's been a blast. For today I give my last words to my friend Glyph, who always encourages you to, "Have a pleasant day."

-Grimbt


	26. Shadows Announcement

This is NOT a new chapter of Barriers! Simply an announcement:

The first chapter of "Shadows", the sequel to Barriers is NOW PUBLISHED! You can find it under my profile: Grimbt, or on the Negima page. Or the much easier thing would be to follow me, for regular updates. Please enjoy!


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